The long-term damage of concussion is a major concern for the well-being of athletes, and it has led to another early exit by a high-level football player.
AFL player Nathan Murphy, 24, announced his forced retirement from the game due to ongoing concussion and head trauma issues this week.
The Collingwood player told his teammates on Tuesday morning.
“I feel it is the right time and the right decision for me to hang up my footy boots,” Murphy said.
“I love my football, but my priority is on my future and ensuring I live a full and healthy life.”
Technological advancements in concussion management have allowed better tracking of symptoms and recovery process and improved the communication between healthcare providers and participants of sports.
Rugby, league and union, and Australian rules football have high rates of concussion for professional and community athletes.
In light of increasing medical retirements and new research into the long-term effects of concussion, the AFL announced earlier this month, a minimum 21-day stand-down protocol before returning to play.
It would require all players to have medical clearance to play on the 21st day post-concussion, however, the league is still working on how to get community clubs to universally enforce the position.
Soraya Mccann, 20, experienced a head knock while playing Australian rules football and had to be escorted by ambulance off the field.
“I don’t remember what happened but the ambulance had to come onto the field because I couldn’t get up, and I couldn’t train or play for three weeks,” Ms Mccann said.
“It ended up being a mild concussion but at the time everyone thought it could have been a spinal injury, I was beyond anxious my first game back.”
Concussion continues to be hard to manage for amateur and community competitions.
Players often want to keep playing and medical professionals are often unavailable to observe and/or perform health checks.
Seamus Bruce, 17, played rugby league and rugby union in the Illawarra since he was nine years old but after too many head knocks decided to take a break this season.
“The game is rough and you expect to get hit, but that feeling of kinda not remembering certain parts of play and almost blacking out is a little scary,” Mr Bruce said.
Medical assistance is not always available to community players, and the signs of concussion can be hard to detect.
However, without strict rules and medical observation, at community levels, players often choose to keep playing.
“I went off early in the season because the team saw it was a massive hit, but the second time was in the ruck and I kinda blanked for a second and got on with it,” Mr Bruce said.
“After the game, I definitely didn’t feel right though.”
Arlan Grose, an under-18s player for the Butchers, also experienced concussion while playing rugby league.
“I came off the field straight away, it’s obvious when you’re slow to get up everyone can see you’re not right” Mr Grose said.
“It’s weird because you can’t do anything about it, like a broken bone, you just feel really weird and hope it doesn’t happen again the next week.”
Mr Grose and Mr Bruce did not need medical clearance to play rugby league the next week.
The league’s official position on the management of community-level concussions is not strict and instead urges players to seek medical assessment but does not enforce it.
Earlier this week. Cronulla Sharks player Dale Finucane, 32, was the latest athlete to retire due to multiple concussions, with medical experts concerned still about the long-term effects of head injuries at professional and community levels.
