When it comes to physical activity of any kind, Coach Mac Stephens, Head Football Coach at Cleveland Heights High School stresses safety.
“I think it's of utmost importance. It’s just about we have to make a safer game period, for anyone who chooses to participate," he said.
Being fully aware of the damage concussions can have on his players, he tells me he starts every season with protective drills.
“We try to emphasize proper tackling techniques, such as sliding your head to the side and keeping your head out of tackling and blocking," Coach Stephens said.
Knowing how to tackle is important, but scientists say the most impactful preventive measure could be found in your blood.
“There are biomarkers that we can measure…what people have been searching for for a long time is kind of a blood test," said Dr. Michael DeGeorgia, Neurologist at UH Hospitals.
A new NIH study found the brain protein tau can be tested in athlete's blood PRE-concussion to determine just how long that athlete may need to recover if that injury were to occur.
“This will be actual objective measurements of these biomarkers," explained Dr. DeGeorgia.
Tau has been connected to chronic diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson's, so knowing if it's in your blood, experts tell me, could make a world of difference.
“So if we can measure that, and we can determine which athletes have these higher levels of Tau, we should be spending more attention with those athletes and perhaps preventing them from returning to play, me maybe even shortening their career," said Dr. DeGeorgia.
So instead of having a trainer come to the sideline to check vitals they could soon instead take a sample.
"So repeated concussions lead to higher levels of this Tau protein in the brain, that correlates with a higher risk of dementia,” he said.
That means they'll be testing before the season, during the season and especially after a concussion, something Coach Stephens tells us he'd appreciate.
“I definitely think that would be helpful... if I have a young man who is more susceptible to getting a concussion, I think that would be great information to know."
This is one of many studies that will have to occur before action can actually take place. For now, there are no athletic teams using this method.
