no checking hockey safe?
 

Hi all,

I was on the receiving end of a few mild concussions early this January in boxing sparring. No loss of consciousness, blurry vision, nausea or anything like that, just slow processing of information for the period after the injury. It eventually developed into post concussion syndrome and I was pretty sensitive to vibrations for a little while.
I have quit boxing sparring completely and have gradually been able to get back into safe activities like biking and swimming. Working my way up in terms of running now. Also able to get back into piano playing albeit I would get slight sound sensitivity if I play in the morning. My head is always a little more sensitive in the mornings.
I have been working very intensively on a math PhD and have only experienced the occasional headache from that.
I definitely still have quite a bit more to go, but just curious if anyone has been able to get back/into non-contact recreational hockey after PCS?

Thanks,
John

I would not be concerned about a hard body check. I would be concerned about a head to ice contact. The boxing has already left you with a history of Sub Concussive Impacts and Concussion. For a PhD candidate, you are putting your future at risk.

I have seen the impact concussions can have on math reasoning. I was excellent math student until too many times heading a soccer ball. I have ridden a roller coaster of math skills ever since (30 years ago)

A mind is a terrible thing to waste trying to have fun on the ice or soccer pitch or football field.

I agree with Mark. I was standing still on ice at the edge of an arena when someone chased the puck under my legs and knocked me down. Helmet and all...life changing...two year later. Luckily I had just finished my PhD (Graduated 1.5 months before the accident and thought my life would change for the better...it did not!)

I have rarely fallen and am a very proficient skater. But we can't control others.

Glad you feel well engh to continue the PhD. I would have had to stop.

I am trying to find safer sports. Not easy. Takes some grieving. But necessary for me.

If I wait symptom free for a year or few years, does the concussion history sort of heal?

In my experience - no. I've had concussions spread out over my life since a pretty serious one at the age of 9. Each time it seems to take less of an impact to concuss me, and the symptoms are worse. I trace it all back to that original concussion 24 years ago, though I couldn't prove it and most doctors would probably think I was mad for saying so.

There is evidence that jockeys, footballers and others are more likely to be concussed if they have had previous concussions. The recent evidence regarding chronic traumatic encephalopathy also suggests long-term, unhealed damage from concussions.

Finally, functional MRI scans show that when someone who has had a concussion performs just as well as someone who hasn't on a mental task (as we often can) our brains are actually working a lot harder than theirs are, with more blood flow to greater areas of the brain in order to achieve the same result. Which means that someone who appears to have completely healed, may just have trained their brain to work harder and compensate better for the damage done by their concussion(s). But there will be a limit to how many impacts the brain can sustain and still effectively compensate in this way.

Overall, I loved various risky sports, but no way is it worth it for me any more.

Sorry to hear about your concussion issues and history.

I had my first concussion at 18 years old during a ski race. No loss of consciousness or PCS but had about 5 minutes of anterograde amnesia.

Then came 28 years old (this January) when I had a few bouts of fogginess after boxing sparring that eventually developed into PCS that has mostly resolved. I only started boxing sparring in December and never did any full contact sports.

Thanks! Don't worry about me though, I'm fine now :) Glad to hear you're clearing up too.

It doesn't sound like much of a concussion history compared to some of the people on this forum, but the fact that you had PCS symptoms suggests to me that your brain has reached its capacity for this sort of impact. The general picture seems to be not just that symptoms are worse with subsequent concussions, but that those concussions also happen more easily. So an impact that would previously not have bothered you, may now result in a concussion. If I were you I would be extremely cautious from here on in.

There's plenty of fun and stimulating stuff you can do in life that doesn't put you at risk of a concussion.

I received my 5th concussion after taking a shoulder to the head on December 9th playing in a no-check rec hockey league. I have been dealing with PCS symptoms since. My life has changed drastically.

Hockey regardless of checking is a fastest paced team sport. As in my case, I couldnt control the blind, cheap-shot to the head by my opponent and I have been paying the consequences since.