Researchers find brain damage in Chris Henry

[Miller]

ESPN.com is reporting that researchers say late Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chris Henry had a form of degenerative brain damage caused by multiple hits to the head.

Dr. Julian Bailes, director of the Brain Injury Research Institute at West Virginia University, told ESPN.com that chronic traumatic encephalopathy has been found in multiple areas of Henry's brain.

Researchers find brain damage in Chris Henry - Accident News - Accidents.com

Sportscenter is running the story. They are not coming out and saying this but in reading between the lines you have to wonder if this played a significant role in his death. I would imagine that one with chronic traumatic encephalopathy that would go on to suffer a head injury in an accident would be at an increase risk of serious injury or even death. That is not a medical diagnoses, but it is my common sense diagnoses.

It also makes you wonder how long it is going to be until someone who is suffering from this (the ESPN report stated they are finding this is more and more former NFL players who have passed away) gets it by one of these missile hits and we have on the field fatality.....it's going to happen at some point is my fear.

NFL needs to take the opportunity that is presented here and lead the charge in the study of this and other head injury's that are and will effect it's players in the future.

 

[RZR]

Maybe its just me... but I'm watching a ton of soccer these days wondering why its totally fine and dandy for these soccer gods to bang rocket-launched soccer balls with their heads without wearing any form of cranial protection and not be included in these Brain Injury Research discussions.

Then again, soccer needs to take a page from the Values of Instant Replay book. At least the NFL is taking this seriously and continuing to push the bounds of our understanding in this area, even if it is at a snails pace right now. They need to put the pedal to the metal and dive deeper into these patterned injuries.