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Alan Shearer, Dementia, ­Football and Me, BBC1, Sunday, 10.30pm. Includes Matt Tees

edited November 2017 in General Charlton
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/alan-shearer-fears-hell-dementia-11484284

Matt was in the early stages of dementia when @SE7toSG3 and I visited him a few years back. Sad but invevitable that it has progressed.

Comments

  • bastard of a illness, stolen 3 relatives in the last 2 years.
  • The trouble is there are so many different types - terrible to see somebody disappearing before your eyes.

    It makes sufferers so vulnerable - have worked with a lot of dementia sufferers in hospital and you can see the massive toll it takes on the family.

    I spoke to someone whose friend got Pick's disease(a rare type of dementia) in their 30s which as you can imagine was pretty catastrophic for the family.

    I hope football investigates this properly as there simply has to be a link.
  • Interesting and sad.
    I note that the article refers to how much they are doing in the NFL about CTE, but it fails to point out the long and protracted battle with NFL bosses to acknowledge the existence of a causal link between the game and CTE in ex-players.
    The Will Smith movie 'Concussion' tells the story of this and the part played by the doctor Bennet Omalu in bringing it to light. Ok, it's Hollywood and they've taken a couple of artistic liberties, but the NFL certainly fought tooth and nail to avoid responsibility. And they weren't shy in playing dirty either.
    Looks to me like the football powers that be are delaying what must surely be inevitable on this.
  • Interesting and sad.
    I note that the article refers to how much they are doing in the NFL about CTE, but it fails to point out the long and protracted battle with NFL bosses to acknowledge the existence of a causal link between the game and CTE in ex-players.
    The Will Smith movie 'Concussion' tells the story of this and the part played by the doctor Bennet Omalu in bringing it to light. Ok, it's Hollywood and they've taken a couple of artistic liberties, but the NFL certainly fought tooth and nail to avoid responsibility. And they weren't shy in playing dirty either.
    Looks to me like the football powers that be are delaying what must surely be inevitable on this.

    If you speak to anyone who works with brain injuries you'd have to conclude there is some sort of link and more research is desperately needed.

    I stopped watching boxing once I saw a talk by a neurologist explaining the impact of being hit by a heavyweight - he compared it to being hit by a padded sledgehammer.

    I'm assuming footballers heading the old footballs that soaked up water must have suffered more.

    If research does prove a link then forwards and centre halves will be very worried.
  • edited November 2017
    Mmmmm.........I wonder if we’re talking more about regular clashing of heads here, rather than heading the ball itself?
  • Mmmmm.........I wonder if we’re talking more about regular clashing of heads here, rather than heading the ball itself?

    No, heading the ball
  • It'll be interesting if heading the modern lightweight balls still has a negative impact
  • It'll be interesting if heading the modern lightweight balls still has a negative impact

    Depends on the force and how it impacts the brain - I would have thought research should be able to ascertain this. The brain is floating in liquid which protects it but constant head impact can lead to long term image. This is not just related to concussion.

    MRIs should be able to detect damage and determine potential long term impact.
  • edited November 2017

    Mmmmm.........I wonder if we’re talking more about regular clashing of heads here, rather than heading the ball itself?

    No, heading the ball
    Well I can’t see how they can separate the two in all honesty.
    On going clashing of heads is surely far more significant than regular heading of a football.......I think that it’s the clash of heads that have been far more significant with the addition of continual heading of balls on top of those injuries not allowing the brain to recover......indeed, if it really ever does?
    These very same players who head the ball more than others will also be more involved in clashing of heads incidents......four Charlton players who immediately spring to mind who regularly had cuts and bandaged heads were Tees, Went, Kermorgant and Haydock.
    Just my thoughts on it and of course I’m no expert.
  • Mmmmm.........I wonder if we’re talking more about regular clashing of heads here, rather than heading the ball itself?

    No, heading the ball
    Well I can’t see how they can separate the two in all honesty.
    On going clashing of heads is surely far more significant than regular heading of a football.......I think that it’s the clash of heads that have been far more significant with the addition of continual heading of balls on top of those injuries not allowing the brain to recover......indeed, if it really ever does?
    These very same players who head the ball more than others will also be more involved in clashing of heads incidents......four Charlton players who immediately spring to mind who regularly had cuts and bandaged heads were Tees, Went, Kermorgant and Haydock.
    Just my thoughts on it and of course I’m no expert.
    As you say you're no expert.

    The research so far suggests that it is the constant heading of the ball.

    How many clashes of heads are there in one game? One or usually none.

    Yet a player will head the ball dozens of times ina game and as Shearer said he was heading the ball 150 times a day in training.

    So which one would be the most likely to cause damage?
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