DEAR EDITOR:
The Eastern Ohio Chiropractic Society (EOCS) commends The Tribune Chronicle for the informative article calling attention to the serious and timely issue of traumatic brain injury (TBI) among school-age athletes.
As the article noted, this is an all-too-common injury among our young athletes and has been historically under-recognized by coaches and parents alike. As a result, young athletes have been returning to the field too soon, risking even more serious and lasting complications from their injuries. As our children return to school and to the athletic and recreational programs available to them, it is important for parents and school officials to be aware of these risks and make well-informed decisions about these and other sports-related injuries.
Your article also describes the efforts of Ohio legislators to pass House Bill 143, which, if enacted, would provide greater education regarding concussions, set guidelines for the removal of young athletes from these activities if they are showing signs of TBI and require clearance from an appropriate health care professional before the athlete can return to the field.
Ohio chiropractic physicians have been closely following the development of HB 143, determined to ensure that it will properly serve Ohio's young athletes and that it will include doctors of chiropractic in its language. Chiropractic physicians have always been a logical choice for injured athletes of all levels and ages because of our emphasis on restoring proper function, treating the cause not the symptom of injury,and taking appropriate steps to prevent further injury or future complications.
The doctors of Eastern Ohio Chiropractic Society would like to remind young athletes, their parents and athletic program staff that sports-related head injuries are a very real risk. As physicians, we take these injuries very seriously, and those who may have been injured should be taken off the playing field and referred immediately for professional evaluation. We applaud the efforts of this newspaper in calling attention to this important topic.
Dr. Patrick Ensminger
Chiropractic Physician
and Secretary, EOCS