Head Games: Football's Concussion Crisis from the NFL to Youth Leagues [Paperback]

I played organized football from the time I was 8 years old up until this past spring at 23. For almost fifteen years of my life I was injuried in a variety of ways from broken bones, sprained ligaments, dislocations, etc. However it wasn't until I read this book that I realized all of these injuries paled in comparison to the risk that I put my brain through on a daily basis. By most standards I am a fairly well educated person but I still had no idea what a concussion actually is. I thought that I did but my base was way off. Nor did I have any real clue about the long term damage that can be caused even by playing with "having your bell rung." Through my entire career people would always come up from hits a little bit woozy and I never even blinked at it. I had the same thing a ton of times and just kept on playing. That's just what everyone was taught from the time we were very young. You don't have to be knocked out or totally loopy to have a concussion. Obviously these cases are much more serious, but long term damage can occur even without brain injuries this severe. Nowinski does a fantastic job of clearly defining what a concussion is, discussing new ways to deal with concussions in football, and also interlacing incredible personal stories to keep the reader turning the pages. I sat down and read this book in about 8 hours or so. I really just couldn't put it down. Nowinski delivers the facts without bogging the reader down with overly complex language. If you are a player think about how much time you spend training and ask yourself whether or not 8 hours of your time is worth it to learn how much you really are at risk for very serious long term problems due to concussions. This book is an absolute must read for anyone involved in the game of football or contact sports period. This goes to players, parents of players, or anyone who knows and cares about someone in a contact sport. This book should be a staple in every training room across the country just to get the word out as to how serious, and seriously misunderstood, the problem of concussions is. Do yourself a favor, or a favor for someone you care about, and read this book to educate yourself. Nobody else is going to do it for you.

Nowinski writes about something he knows all too well, head concussions. After just 1 year actively wrestling for the WWE Nowinski was forced into early retirement due to post concussion syndrome. In his quest for answers about his condition he came upon a startling reality. The focus of this book is on football players and head concussions. The reality of how often it happens and the seriousness of not just short term effects, but long term as well are frightening. As a former football player both in high school and for Harvard University, Nowinski knows just how common these injuries are. Backed by many medical experts, Nowinski's revelations are startling. If you are a parent of a child in any contact sport, read this book! If you, yourself, play any kind of contact sport, read this book! Even if you don't play a sport of have children who do, this book is an interesting read and is written in a style that flows well and doesn't get bogged down with technical terms. Highly recommended!

As a physician and athlete, I was surprised at how much I didn't know about head injuries! Not only is this book an excellent layman's guide, it is a well-researched and even-handed review of the emerging data on post-concussion disability. Nowinksi has a personal writing style and uses his own experience for credibility and context. He is to be commended!