‘So many questions’ remain in solving concussion issue
Growing fear of head injuries driving kids away from hockey, Lindros says
LONDON, ONT. The best argument Eric Lindros has ever heard for keeping body contact in minor hockey is that it teaches kids how to give and receive a hit. He doesn’t buy it.
“Learn how to line up a guy? Really? C’mon,” the Hockey Hall of Famer said in a mocking tone at the seventh annual See the Line concussion research and awareness symposium on Thursday, organized by Western University’s Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry.
“The hard part is the skating, understanding where the puck is going to go. It’s the stickhandling and passing. It’s all those wonderful gifts that make up a player.”
The former centre on the Philadelphia Flyers’ famed Legion of Doom line is more concerned about concussion risk than he is seeing kids get knocked on their cans in the formative years of the sport.
“One of the best games I ever saw was the (2014 Olympic gold medal) women’s hockey game,” he said. “It was physical and there is supposed to be no contact. It’s still a wonderful game. It (contact) doesn’t need to be for kids going up.
“I think a lot of kids are bailing because they’re nervous — and their parents are — about getting hurt. There are so many questions about what to do.”
Lindros, the honorary chair of See the Line, has been a devoted advocate for concussion research and prevention for many years. He thanks his lucky stars he had parents who looked out for him and went against the grain on how long a player should sit out in the face of incredible pressure to return to the lineup.
“When I was being concussed, it was unheard of for someone to sit out two weeks,” he said. “Now, it’s probably the minimum. My mom and dad (Bonnie and Carl) were ahead of the game. My dad used to go to the library and research on his own when my brother (Brett) got hurt.
“I remember pamphlets and flyers on it. This was back in the mid-’90s and quite honestly, they’re very similar to what’s out there today. We’re a bit behind in terms of making huge strides. It’s getting better — the awareness is happening — but in terms of what we can point to for a solution, we’re not there yet. Not even close. It’s a tough one to tackle.”
The numbers are staggering. According to University of Calgary physiotherapist and epidemiologist Carolyn Emery, there is a one-in-five lifetime risk of concussion. Half of them happen to youth under 19 and 60 per cent occur during sport and recreational activities.
One in 10 youth sustain a concussion every year and access medical attention for it. Some 30 per cent of those visits are recurring.
She labels adults who are concussed in sports as “survivors,” since they managed to make it through their pediatric and youth career as sport participants.
“From a standpoint of recovery, the majority of kids get better within a month and 30 per cent have longer-term symptoms, which is concerning,” she said. “One more child should not die from this. We have an epidemic of concussion in this country, but our biggest epidemic is obesity and reduced physical activity. We have to do everything we can to keep kids and adults participating in physical activity.
“Other countries are looking to us for leadership. The greatest public health impact will be in primary prevention, and it’s only going to happen with everyone moving in the same direction.”
Emery received a $12-million grant from the National Football League advisory board to continue studying the long-term effects of concussion. The NFL won’t have any jurisdiction over published results.
One of the major themes of this year’s See the Line was about how all sports bodies need to invest more money in the health and safety of its players.
TSN journalist Rick Westhead detailed how he has continually run into a brick wall when trying to get a response from the NHL on the long-term effects of concussions on its players.
In recent years, he has told the stories of London-born Joe Murphy, a former first overall pick who is now homeless in northern Ontario, and the post-career struggles experienced by Mike Peluso, Matt Johnson and Todd Ewen.
“When you do stories like this, you’re boxed out,” he said. “This is a choice I made. I believe the stories I’m doing are too important to not be told.
“The NHL’S position, to this day, is that there is no proof repeated brain trauma leads to long-term neurological problems. That’s what they’re telling retired players like Eric. That’s what they’re telling current superstars like Sidney Crosby. That’s what they’re telling the next generation of players.
“I don’t know what that number (of responsibility the league has), but I believe it’s between 100 and zero. The NHL believes it’s zero, and what I believe is, they’re not doing nearly enough (to help).”
Lindros considers himself fortunate that his career lasted until 2007. He finished up with Dallas and announced his retirement by donating $5 million to the London Health Sciences Centre.
“I thought about retiring around 2000,” he said. “I came back and played. I wasn’t the player I was, but I loved the game.
“That’s the compromise. Today, I feel healthy. I lose my keys like everybody else. (With) three punks under six running around the house, you’re tired.”
But he won’t rest until this concussion problem is under control.
On that, it’s clear there is no compromise.
One more child should not die from this. We have an epidemic of concussion in this country. CAROLYN EMERY, physiotherapist