Paddy

[White Winmar]

I have read a few research papers on American footballers with diabetes who suffered concussions. They experienced prolonged headaches, difficulty concentrating, and neurocognitive testing deficits for months after sport-related concussions. One report quoted,"We thought that poor blood glucose control contributed to prolonged recovery. Symptoms of concussion and poor blood glucose control (ie, headache, confusion, irritability) can be easily confused, thus complicating diagnosis and recovery. In diabetic athletes with concussion, all possible causes of altered neurologic function should be carefully considered when making return-to-play decisions." It would appear that diabetes depletes the ability of neurons in the brain to protect themselves from trauma.

The latest research in the field strongly suggests that diabetics tend to suffer more neuronal damage than non-diabetics when it comes to traumatic brain injuries caused concussion. Longitudinal studies from the USA indicate concussion and diabetes result in the earlier onset, and greater prevalence, of DAT (Dementia of the Alzheimer's Type). Worrying indications for Paddy in the short, medium and long term.

[Impatient Sainter]

Very scientific and well researched response WW, extremely worrying signs for Paddy and his future.

[Wayne42]

Paddy might not make 50 games if he keeps getting concussed.

The club may need to recruit an alternative in the next couple of years. That won't happen this year as the U18's is full of midgets.

[saynta]

God, i fear for the boy.

[Impatient Sainter]

Yeah definitely put him the stable for the rest of the year. Get some expert advice - the last thing he needs is further long term health problems because of football it might be decision time? Surely the kid and club are due for a change of luck on these sort of incidents.

[Tom_Sainter]

Put him away for the year... not worth the risk we won't be playing finals. Honestly the only thing Membrey did today was knock Paddy out

[Con Gorozidis]

Put him away for the year... not worth the risk we won't be playing finals. Honestly the only thing Membrey did today was knock Paddy out

Not sure about the year but agree Paddy should take a month off now. Absolutely nothing to be gained from pushing him out there in the next 4 weeks.

Let him play some games in August to get some experience.

[saintbob]

Paddy should be placed on the LTI list immediately for his own health and well being, the kid has a very bright future but if he gets concussed again I fear it'll be all over.

It might also give us a chance to have a good look at a young bloke like Coughlan, who has shown a bit in the VFL as a key back which is something we're screaming out for.

[older saint]

I think we are best leaving it to the club doctors to make this decision . The media hype about this topic and the attention it has drawn form the US, which is a little different for a number of issues in regard of the contact and also the predisposition of the athletic types and potentially what they were taking in the 70's and 80s, makes everyone rightly aware.

I am sure with what they have invested in McCartin the club will make the right call, be it 1 weeks rest 2 weeks or season.

We are all armchair selectors, coaches and recruiters on here, which is great but this is a little more serious to be questioning decisions

[White Winmar]

The big worry, as I see it, OS, is that concussion, no matter how it comes about, has a greater effect on diabetics than non-diabetics. That now seems to be what the evidence shows. It doesn't matter how you get the concussion, whether through a car accident, assault or on the sporting field. The chemical interactions in the diabetic brain are different and leave them more vulnerable to significant and long-lasting damage.

Helmets don't seem to be the answer, either. They wear the equivalent of crash helmets in the NFL and former players are suffering long term effects in epidemic proportions. Again, the research suggests that the wearing of helmets, doesn't offer the level of protection that has generally been presumed. Australian research on junior footballers who wear helmets appears to bear out the same. While the helmet offers protection, concussion is an injury caused by the brain hitting the inside of the skull, through "bouncing" caused by sudden changes in momentum. This causes brain bruising and a host of other difficulties. I recently saw a neurosurgeon on TV discussing the issue and he said helmets offer minimal if any protection against concussion. It would appear that Paddy, as a diabetic, will feel greater, and longer lasting effects of any concussion he suffers. I know the club will leave no stone unturned in managing him effectively, but this latest series of setbacks do not augur well for the future.

[mullet]

The big worry, as I see it, OS, is that concussion, no matter how it comes about, has a greater effect on diabetics than non-diabetics. That now seems to be what the evidence shows. It doesn't matter how you get the concussion, whether through a car accident, assault or on the sporting field. The chemical interactions in the diabetic brain are different and leave them more vulnerable to significant and long-lasting damage.

Helmets don't seem to be the answer, either. They wear the equivalent of crash helmets in the NFL and former players are suffering long term effects in epidemic proportions. Again, the research suggests that the wearing of helmets, doesn't offer the level of protection that has generally been presumed. Australian research on junior footballers who wear helmets appears to bear out the same. While the helmet offers protection, concussion is an injury caused by the brain hitting the inside of the skull, through "bouncing" caused by sudden changes in momentum. This causes brain bruising and a host of other difficulties. I recently saw a neurosurgeon on TV discussing the issue and he said helmets offer minimal if any protection against concussion. It would appear that Paddy, as a diabetic, will feel greater, and longer lasting effects of any concussion he suffers. I know the club will leave no stone unturned in managing him effectively, but this latest series of setbacks do not augur well for the future.

thanks for the info. really interesting stuff. poor paddy i worry for him

[magnifisaint]

I hope the club did all the relevant research on McCartin. You would think they did.

[borderbarry]

I would not panic, but I would give him a week off and make him wear a helmet for the rest of the year. The little bloke from Footscray wears one every week and to my knowledge has never had a concussion. Burkey wore one for may matches, Phil Narkle wore one. No disgrace. I am sure it would lift his confidence for a start.

[Impatient Sainter]

Sounds like the club are feeding the media tripe again? If you read what WW has provided there is scientific evidence indicating that diabetes does heighten the affects of head knocks/concussion. Truly concerning that it may cause the premature end to another players career?

[saynta]

Sounds like the club are feeding the media tripe again? If you read what WW has provided there is scientific evidence indicating that diabetes does heighten the affects of head knocks/concussion. Truly concerning that it may cause the premature end to another players career?

What type 1 does also is slow down recovery from any injury.

[CURLY]

Sounds like the club are feeding the media tripe again? If you read what WW has provided there is scientific evidence indicating that diabetes does heighten the affects of head knocks/concussion. Truly concerning that it may cause the premature end to another players career?

McCartin suffers no lingering effects and hasn't been getting follow up headaches. The guys on Triple M all commented that it's because we are so over cautious that he even gets taken off.

[samuraisaint]

He is injured and out with concussion until the club doctor clears him to play. We only have 8 games left so he may play the last couple of games, but that could depend on the team's form at that time.
On concussions; he had mild concussion - he wasn't knocked out. And there is a difference. And he hasn't been knocked out in any of the games he received concussion in, but the Adelaide one was the most serious.
Personally I would rest him and start rotating more players into the team from Sandy in the next 8 weeks, but I am not employed by the club to make these decisions.
We only have 8 games left and we can beat Essendon, Melbourne and Brisbane without him. We are not a mid tier team yet, we are fairly and squarely a bottom 6 team, and we need to find out who will help take the club forward and who is not going to play in our next GF. Having our 5 key defenders out yesterday, and I'll name them - Fisher, Dempster, Carlisle, Webster and Wright, was always going to make winning against a side gifted the best talent in the land very, very difficult. The side we played yesterday was not the same Gold Coast side taking the field in round 8.
So long as we win next week, and win well, I am fine with the direction the team is going. Good luck Paddy!

[saintbob]

Put him away for the year... not worth the risk we won't be playing finals. Honestly the only thing Membrey did today was knock Paddy out

Not sure about the year but agree Paddy should take a month off now. Absolutely nothing to be gained from pushing him out there in the next 4 weeks.

Let him play some games in August to get some experience.

I'd suggest you go watch the replay, Membrey was our most effective forward !!

[bigcarl]

Get him some headgear. I've seen the opinions that they make concussions worse. I've done a bit of reading on it and as far as I can see the evidence on this is far from conclusive. Helmets have been compulsory in US football since 1942 and still are. Not that I'm suggesting a helmet like that.

Perhaps something like Dunstall used to wear. Some protection for the melon.

If Paddy's career is cut short or ended because of this it is a disaster for St Kilda Football Club. Not because he is a number 1 pick, but because he's shown enough already imo that he'll be a sensational player if he can stand up

[8856brother]

Helmets and head gear offer no help with concussion. Helps with facial injuries. Brain bouncing around inside the scull is the problem.

[bigcarl]

Helmets and head gear offer no help with concussion.

Yes, so they say, but the evidence isn't conclusive as I understand it. It would provide some protection against a skull fracture, for instance.

Any case, he's getting enough knocks around the head that facial injuries and cuts must also be a concern.

So it cant do any harm and also may beneficial to his confidence that he has some sort of protection.

[Jacks Back]

Helmets and head gear offer no help with concussion.

Yes, so they say, but the evidence isn't conclusive as I understand it. It would provide some protection against a skull fracture, for instance.

Any case, he's getting enough knocks around the head that facial injuries and cuts must also be a concern.

So it cant do any harm and also may beneficial to his confidence that he has some sort of protection.

Some protection from the umpires would also help with people hitting him in the head like that Geelong flog last week.

[Jacks Back]

I would not panic, but I would give him a week off and make him wear a helmet for the rest of the year. The little bloke from Footscray wears one every week and to my knowledge has never had a concussion. Burkey wore one for may matches, Phil Narkle wore one. No disgrace. I am sure it would lift his confidence for a start.

The only problem is it is July now.

[4ever_saint]

Helmets and head gear offer no help with concussion. Helps with facial injuries. Brain bouncing around inside the scull is the problem.

There are prototype NFL helmets that are said to absorb the impact of a hit to the head, protecting the brain from "bouncing" as you say...though I doubt if we have anything like that in Australia (nor anything suited to playing AFL as opposed to NFL)...

Even if the helmet can absorb *some* of the impact for him, it's worth a try. While there's no conclusive proof it'll help...at this stage, and with his career (and long-term health) on the line, surely it can't hurt to try. Though, with that said, I'm sure the medico's will know best.

[prwilkinson]

Yeah it's a concern. If he were a boxer you'd say he had a chin made out of glass.