Trauma in sport could lead to dementia
A Dr Eleanor Perfetto has lodged a claim on behalf of her husband, former footballer Ralph Wenzel, alleging that his dementia at age 67 is connected to his career in the sport.
According to a report in the New York Times about 700 former NFL players are pursuing cases in California, which allows claims if they have so much as played one game in the state. They have hitherto been for orthopaedic trauma injuries. This latest case marks a significant shift. The case’s potential value is in excess of $1m.
Given the dozens and perhaps hundreds of players who could file similar claims, experts in the California system said NFL teams and their insurers could be facing liability of $100m or more. Those costs could merely represent a financial nuisance for the league, recorded revenues of $8.5bn last year; however, if insurance costs rise drastically because of the claims, it could be forced to alter its rules to reduce head trauma.
Dr Perfetto’s lawyer Ronald G Feenberg likened football head trauma to asbestos exposure: a workplace danger whose effects can take 20 to 40 years to manifest.
“Medical science has recently put those puzzle pieces together: that hitting your head over and over on the football field causes certain conditions,” Mr Feenberg said. “All of these hits could have injured Ralph Wenzel’s spine. But they didn’t; they injured his brain.”
The risks of brain injury in sport have been recognised for some time. Professor Adrian Lees, deputy director of the Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences at Liverpool John Moores University is quoted as stating early last year: “Acute injuries such as clashing of heads can cause immediate pain and damage but can also add to chronic head or brain problems. Mild knocks or heading the ball all contribute to a great deal of impact over the course of a player's career that might leave them vulnerable to dementia.”