Dr. Charles Tator was an avid hockey player in his youth, playing almost every day well into his 20s. In all of the hours he spend on the ice, he never suffered from a concussion.
“In those days, there was respect and a sense of responsibility — not just for your body but for others,” he said. “Today, there are lots of deliberate hits from behind. The culture of hockey needs to change.”
Tator, a professor of neurosurgery in Toronto and founder of ThinkFirst Canada, spoke to QMI Agency prior to presenting a concussion awareness workshop recently.
Though Tator said Hockey Canada has already “taken a lot of steps to change the culture of the game,” he believes more should be done.
“I would prefer body-checking be eliminated until the age of 16,” he said.
An expert in both concussions and brain injuries, Tator said recognizing the signs and symptoms of a concussion is key to understanding and treating the blow to the head — an injury that cannot be seen on routine X-rays and scans.
Symptoms can include headaches, dizziness, nausea, memory loss and sensitivity to both light and noise.
He said a person with a concussion needs immediate treatment.
“The bottom line is that every concussed person should be seen by a doctor,” Tator said. “That’s a fairly new principle.”
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Source: Sun News