After a big increase in diagnosed concussions in the National Football League during the 2015 season, NFL concussions declined modestly last year from 275 to 244.
No reason was given for the drop in diagnosed concussions, but the NFL put new methods of detection and examination into place in 2015, which likely accounted for the high that year, The Associated Press reported.
“We have seen a significant culture change on those points,” NFL executive Jeff Miller told the AP. “The point of all this ... is the effort to identify the concussions when they happen so players can get the treatment as quickly and comprehensively as they can. That is why we spend so much time on the protocols.”
President of the NFL Physicians Society and Carolina Panthers team physician Dr. Robert Heyer agreed. “As a result of ongoing education, players are more likely to speak up if they believe they might have a concussion,” he said.
Although a rule change was made about moving the ball to the 25-yard line on touchbacks specifically to try to avoid concussions, there were only three fewer in those situations. Limiting full-contact practice sessions may have helped contribute to the decline, according to The New York Times.
“I’m encouraged the numbers are down but far from satisfied,” NFL Head, Neck, and Spine Committee member Mitchel Berger said. Berger is also the chairman of the department of Neurosurgery at the University of California at San Francisco. “We have a lot more work to do,” he said, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Concussions while playing football have led to a high number of ongoing brain trauma conditions for current and former NFL players, some of which have died as a result.
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