Arizona high school football players have medical line of defense against concussion damage

PHOENIX — The No. 1 sport for concussions kicks off on high school campuses across the state this week.

But top researchers and doctors at Barrow Concussion and Brain Injury Center in Phoenix said Arizona should be proud to know its young football players are armed with education.

“The National Association Center for Catastrophic Injury reports that in the 2014 year, there were five deaths as a result of direct high school play,” Dr. Javier Cardenas said. “This is down from eight the year prior.”

While that statistic is down, Carenas said another concussion stat is up.

“Over the last four years we’ve seen more athletes reporting their concussions.” And he said, “More of their teammates are reporting seeing (concussions) in their fellow athletes.”

Cardenas and his colleagues at Barrows spearheaded the charge four years ago to prevent high school concussions. He started the Barrow Brain Book initiative, educating high school athletes online about concussion risks and symptoms. Through Barrow, students at Arizona Interscholastic Association schools are offered free concussion testing.

“This is critically important,” Cardenas said. “The most important thing is that an athlete does not sustain a second injury before completely recovering from their first.”

When that happens, he said, “They can suffer bleeding of the brain, swelling of the brain, death and disability.”

Rudy Ayala knows the feeling after being cracked by a block while playing nose tackle for Tempe High School in 2013.

“We were in practice doing tacking drills,” he said. “I went helmet to his body and I got more of the impact.” Ayala went crashing down, “I lost my vision, my hearing, my balance.”

Rudy Ayala, left, and Dr. Javier Cardenas. (KTAR Photo/Hollilday Moore)

Fortunately, Ayala’s coach did not hesitate to send him to the trainer. He quickly ended up in Cardenas’ care. Two years later, Ayala sat next to his doctor as they announced new rules for players at the professional, college and high school levels.

Athletic trainers, who serve as concussion spotters in the NFL, will now have the power to call timeout during a game if an athlete’s health is at risk.

“If the athlete has not been taken off to the sidelines, that spotter can call a medical timeout,” Cardenas said.

“This is unprecedented because never has there been an ability for a medical provider to actually call a timeout.”

It is just one of the dozens of safety protocols instituted in Arizona since 2012. Many of them are being adopted by professional and intramural athletic programs across the U.S.

Related

SAFE Alert canceled after missing 41-year-old man last seen in Avondale found safeHarry & Izzy’s steakhouse announces opening state for Arizona debutEl-Sayed spoke with Obama as Michigan Democrats look to unite after a bitter Senate primaryBoat capsizes in New York Harbor, woman and 5-month-old baby dieWalmart buys 38 acres along growing West Valley distribution corridorHow to spot the Perseid meteor shower, a summer light show that promises to dazzle