My husband and I went to see the movie “Concussion”. It was very well done. I have never studied medicine, but once a topic is established with a real human story, I am drawn to it and understand it.
The Nigerian medical examiner who performed an autopsy on a former professional soccer player discovered a condition caused by concussions. He spent his savings researching his theory and published his findings with two other doctors to confirm that they were true. He was threatened by both the NFL and the FBI. He lost his home and had to move to another state. His wife suffered a miscarriage during her pregnancy due to stress.
The doctor illustrated a concussion to his wife by putting an onion in a jar of water and shaking it. The onion began to split. This illustration helps us understand head injuries and reminds us why we should not shake a baby. It also demonstrates why minors should not be presented with blows to the head in sports.
The symptoms seen in various former professional soccer players mirrored each other. They all began to exhibit drastic changes in behavior, which ended in suicide. Brain autopsy studies revealed the same conditions caused by concussions. The doctor, who was previously unfamiliar with soccer, investigated the practices and observed the number of blows to the head.
If a child starts playing soccer in elementary school, followed by high school, college, and a professional career, he suffers daily blows to the head that are very hard when he reaches adulthood. Players who died committed suicide at a young age.
The attraction to professional sports has always been fame, fortune, college scholarships, and a love of the sport. Mike Webster’s 1997 speech before his death should have signaled a red flag. Dr. Omalu knew something was wrong when he performed the autopsy.
We would all like to have a life of luxury, but I suspect that the surviving relatives of these deceased players would change it so that their loved ones and their families were intact. Loyal fans can still dismiss this movie as the “black fish” of soccer. I am glad that my children have grown up. If they were still minors and I saw this movie, I wouldn’t let them play. If any of my grandchildren participate in it when they are old enough, it will be out of my control. I will have to support them, but I hope that medical science, equipment, and practices have evolved to a safer state by then.
