Playing football before the age of twelve may lead to long-term problems with mood and behavior. A study at Boston University School of Medicine  found twice as much difficulty completing tasks, and three times as much depression in middle-age adults who began playing the game as pre-teens. 

Doctors who diagnose and treat concussions say they can’t overemphasize the need to take potential head injuries seriously.

“The biggest thing I see is that a lot of people don’t think  they have a concussion so if anybody gets an injury during their sports and you’re having a headache or some other concerning symptoms, always  rather be safe than sorry,” Dr. Kathryn Gloyer, Penn State Sports Medicine.

She urges athletes who think they may have suffered an injury, to talk to their trainer or their coach, or to see a doctor,  before they resume participating in sports.

Dr. Gloyer says, fortunately, many athletic trainers are now trained to look for subtle signs of injury and that’s picking up a lot of concussions that may have gone undiagnosed years ago.

Web Chat on Sports Concussions with Dr. Kathryn Gloyer