According to The New York Times, the National Football League (NFL) has produced a poster warning players to take concussion and other head injuries seriously. This action is just one of many that shows the league's change of position on the short and long-term effects of head injuries in pro football.

Last year, former NFL players, executives and lawmakers appeared before the House Judiciary Committee to discuss the long-term effects of head injuries on current and former NFL players and to determine if the NFL is doing enough to protect the players. After the hearings, the league announced that it would seek out independent neurologists to diagnose and treat players with head trauma.

The poster, developed by the league's head, neck and spine medical committee, the players union and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, makes bold statements about the risks players face when the step onto the field.

Head Injuries and Concussion

• Head Injury Warning Signs
• Head Injury First Aid
• What is a Concussion?
• Serious Effects of Mild Concussions
• New Guidelines for Head Injury and Concussion in Youth Sports

In September, 2009, the National Football League Player Care Foundation released the results of their Study of Retired NFL Players which revealed that the rate of dementia and cognitive disorders among retired NFL players was five times higher than among the general population.

As far back as 2007, researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine reported finding structural changes in the brains of head injury patients that correlate to cognitive deficits in thinking, memory and attention. They found that mild head injuries caused damage only to the outer surface of the nerve (the myelin sheath of an axon), which may be able to be repaired if allowed to heal. More severe head injuries tended to cause damage to the axon itself, which may not be as easily repaired. Read the study abstract, published in the journal Brain or the Read the study press release from the University of Illinois at Chicago

Learn about myelin and nerve structure

All experts agree that wear safely equipment, such as a helmet and mouth guard, can reduce the risk of serious head injuries. If you suffer any head injury, stop playing and sit out the rest of the game. Even if you think it's a mild bump on the head, you may have minor damage that can be repaired. If you return to play, you risk making that mild injury a permanent one.

N.F.L. to Post Concussion Warning Posters in Locker Rooms originally appeared on About.com Sports Medicine on Wednesday, July 28th, 2010 at 19:39:31.

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Much like other experts in the nutrition  and fitness industry, the About.com Guides don't always agree on the latest research or how it may apply to the rest of us.

Case in point, Paul Rogers, About.com's Guide to Weight Training, recently wrote an article entitled "How Low-Carb Diets Can Hurt Your Weight Training."  Soon after, Laura Dolson, our Low-Carb Diets Guide posted her own reply with an opposing opinion.  And now, a very lively discussion is underway in Laura's blog comments.

Perhaps we'll hear from our Nutrition guide, Shereen Jegtvig, who may provide even more insight on the latest sports nutrition research.

For what it's worth, I tend to think the "best diet" for an athlete depends on their sport and their performance goals. High-performance endurance athletes (such as the Tour de France cyclists or Ironman Triathletes) seem best-served with carbohydrates to fuel their massive energy needs, but other athletes can probably get away with a fairly wide variety of nutrition plans.

Sports nutrition is a hotly debated topic, and new research teases out new information every month. I'm not sure we are at a point where we can make any definitive statements about what is "the ideal diet," particularly for a specific activity or athlete.  My advice?  Try it  and see what you think works for you, your body and your sport. And let us know what you find out.

What do you think? Share your comments below.

The Low-Carb Diet Debate originally appeared on About.com Sports Medicine on Tuesday, July 27th, 2010 at 11:37:06.

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If you've been sidelined because of an injury you've probably felt everything from denial to anger and even depression.  And although your feelings are real, it's important to find positive strategies to cope with this setback.

Athletes who accept an injury and seek ways to stay involved with their sport, their coaches and their teammates while recovering from an injury often become  more focused, flexible, and resilient athletes.  Here are a few suggestions for using sports psychology to cope with an injury.  What strategies have worked for you?

Share Your Sports Psychology Tips for Faster Injury Recovery.

Sports Psychology Strategies for Injury Recovery originally appeared on About.com Sports Medicine on Sunday, July 25th, 2010 at 22:42:17.

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There are many different exercises used to stretch the hip flexors and psoas muscles. But here are two basic stretches to get started.

Two Simple Ways to Stretch Your Hip Flexors

Beginner Hip Flexor Stretch

• Begin in a forward lunge position and place your hands on your knees.
• Press down with your hands and extend the hips forward until you feel a stretch from the front of your hip, groin and thigh.
• Hold the stretch for about 20-30 seconds, release and repeat on the other leg.

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Advanced Hip Flexor Stretch

• Begin in a forward lunge position and drop your back knee to the floor.
• Raise your arms and hands up over your head and look up.
• Press your hips forward and down toward the floor and feel a stretch through your torso, hip, groin and thigh.
• Hold the stretch for about 20-30 seconds, release and repeat on the other leg.

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You can modify either of these stretches based upon your own anatomy, flexibility and limitations. Be sure to keep your forward knee over or behind your ankle and not in front of your ankle.

Hip Flexor and Psoas Stretching Made Easy originally appeared on About.com Sports Medicine on Friday, July 23rd, 2010 at 09:00:03.

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Golfer's often talk about the "yips" as a reason they miss seemingly easy putts on the green. Golfer's yips is a condition that includes involuntary tremors, freezing or jerking of the hands during golf shots that require precision, such as putting and chipping. Initially the yips was thought to be purely psychological and related to anxiety or stress. Now researchers believe the yips may also have a physical cause.

Read more about the cause of golfer's yips, and what you can do to overcome this frustrating condition.

What are Golfer's Yips? originally appeared on About.com Sports Medicine on Tuesday, July 20th, 2010 at 13:15:07.

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