Several aging National Football League (NFL) players are suffering disabilities in the aftermath of hits to their heads on the field.

In one instance, Chuck Arrobio, a former dentist, played one season for the Minnesota Vikings in 1966 and retired after that season with an injured knee. He also suffered numerous head impacts on the field. He later found himself confused, incapable of treating his patients, and was forced to retire.

Arrobio asked the NFL for assistance for his chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE. CTE is a progressive degenerative disease (CTE dementia) resulting from repeated concussions and traumatic brain injuries, that may occur after concussions and repetitive head impacts.

Arrobio died six months later. His autopsy showed a tremendous amount of brain atrophy, caused by CTE.

Although there is no cure for cognitive decline, there are treatments that can significantly improve quality of life if CTE is caught in time. Families of affected and deceased players are lobbying the league to make changes now before it is too late.

Will Hobson, "As denials pile up, NFL settlement ignores 'critical' tests", https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2024/08/20/nfl-concussion-settlement-mri-alzheimer/ (Aug. 20, 2024).

Commentary and Checklist

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), high school boys suffer the most concussions playing football – 63 percent of players. Boys high school wrestling accounts for concussions for 59 percent of players, and 51 percent of girls' basketball players experience concussions.

To help prevent concussion injuries, make sure the athlete wears a well-fitting helmet certified by the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) for their sport. Reports show that only 15 to 20 percent of all helmets are fit correctly. The helmet must be fitted properly and worn correctly each time it is used.

Knowing the signs of a possible concussion can help those who work with students seek medical assistance promptly.

Here are some possible signs of a concussion:
 

• The exact symptoms and severity of a concussion will vary and may not appear for several hours or even days following a head injury.
• Among high school athletes, the most commonly reported concussion symptom was headache (40.1 percent), followed by dizziness (15.3 percent), and confusion (8.6 percent). Other symptoms included loss of consciousness (3.9 percent) and amnesia (6.4 percent).
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists common concussion symptoms as the following:
  • Headache
  • Feeling of pressure in the head
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Irritation from light or noise
  • Confusion
  • Blurry or double vision
  • Numbness or tingling
  • Difficulty remembering or paying attention to things
  • Dizziness or balance problems
  • Feeling sluggish, hazy, groggy or foggy
  • Feeling unusually emotional, nervous, sad, depressed or irritable
  • Slow reaction time
  • Sleeping more or less than usual
  • Being drowsy
  • Not feeling "right"
  • Loss of consciousness
• The signs and symptoms of a concussion can be subtle and may not be immediately apparent. Some symptoms of concussions may be immediate or delayed in onset by hours or days after injury, such as:
  • Concentration and memory complaints
  • Irritability and other personality changes
  • Sensitivity to light and noise
  • Sleep disturbances
  • Psychological adjustment problems and depression
  • Disorders of taste and smell