(Tampa Bay, FL) As president of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Gay Culverhouse saw firsthand the effects the game of football had on its players. Now as the director of Players Outreach, a program she began two years ago to help former players with health issues related to football, she is spreading the word on the dangers of concussions and their long term consequences.
Dr. Culverhouse has written a book, “Throwaway Players-The Concussion Crisis” which details the risks and dangers of concussions football players of all levels suffer while playing the game of football. “Following Newton’s Law of Physics, these men driving into one another create huge forces on their bodies that are difficult to withstand year after year. This is what leads to a career lasting an average of four years in the NFL”, Dr. Culverhouse said.
“These men are crippled with arthritis with no skills for a second career. Unfortunately the whip lashes and concussions suffered during play lead to multiple problems as these men age”, Dr. Culverhouse writes in her book. “Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy is prevalent and unfixable. Symptoms similar to ALS, Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease are not uncommon in these retired players.”
Dr. Culverhouse joined me on my radio show Monday night and stressed the magnitude of “teaching youngsters the importance of recognizing when they are injured and taking themselves out of the game”. The interview is posted with this article or can be accessed by clicking here.
Dr. Culverhouse is by no means saying football should be abolished. She said she is a big fan of the game on all levels and wants to make sure it is as safe as can be for all players.
For more on the Players Outreach program, visit www.playersoutreach.org
Comments