i actually find it disturbing that she is posting about being 'fine' and 'will rest and get ready for nationals'. That's nuts. my daughter fell and hit her head when she was in 8th grade. She was back on her feet right away but later was discovered to have a serious concussion - her CT scan was also clear. When she was still dizzy a few days later we took her to a specialist and she ended up being out of action for 4 months. When she fell again maybe 6 months later - didn't hit her head, just a hard sit down, she was dizzy again. Once you have one blow you are highly at risk for almost nothing to cause a very serious secondary concussion. Needless to say, end of skating career which while sad for her, was the right thing to do.
American Figure Skater Crashes Headfirst Into The Ice, Referee Allows Her To Continue
- Thread starter Sylvia
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cholla
Marquessa of Chartreuse
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Not that simple. At all. I'm a former elite athlete, I know my body and self better than anyone. 14 years ago I suffered a severe head trauma. I was able to get up and move and talk normally (although I have absolutely no recollection of the accident and what happened afterwards). 20 mn later I crashed and lost consciousness. I had extensive brain hemorraghe and spent 36 days in a grade 3 coma. When I gradually came around (it lasted weeks, you don't wake up from a coma like every morning) I had lost speech, the ability to swallow, the complete use of my left hand and all movement coordination. I was locked inside my head for 3 months because although I could think relatively clearly I had no way to communicate with the outside world. I could not speak, my cognitive functions were messed up, I was not even able to blink or nod or shake my head on (my) command to express myself. To me it was the absolute worst. As an elite skier I was used to physical pain and confident my body would heal. But WTF was happening inside my head ?? I had 2 other brain hemoragge in the following 6 months and was put into artificial coma and hypothermia so my brain wouldn't explode. It's a miracle I was able to recover from such serious brain damage. When I say "recover" it's not totally true, all is always relative. I have 2 severe forms of epilepsy and I'm permanently on heavy medications that have nasty effects on my health. But without said meds I can't function. Even with them, I can't tell cold from heat on my skull and the hairdresser can scald me bald, I won't feel anything. Same with my left hand and it unfortunately led me to suffer 3rd degree burns. Where anti-convulsant can usually lead people to sleep like logs for 12 hours, I suffer insomnia often and lack of sleep triggers epilepsy bouts = vicious circle. I can't stand blinking lights, loud noise, wearing something on my head (hat, helmet) because they trigger fits too. I have short term memory problems. I was fluent in 4 different languages, with perfect grammar, I now make mistakes in all of them which isn't too good when you are a writer and a translator. (And which makes me want to kill Taz'smum when she corrects me...
) I was an elite skier, a rock and ice climber, a sky diver, I can no longer do any of this because I have balance issues (and with a fragile head without a helmet, all these sports would be suicidal). All that after I was able to stand up, walk, talk, move, tell people everything was OK and feel perfectly normal, besides my body being sore, after a big shock resulting in a severe concussion. (I was hit by a snowmobile while sledding with my dogs, it sent me head first into a tree, and my brained bounced, hitting the skull) So no, athletes can't assess themselves the concussion they suffer. Ashley should not have kept on skating at the risk of falling again and ending up with irreversible brain damage. It not only means the end of a competitive career but also your life takes a huge tumble, everything changes, you will never be the same person again. Ask Paul Binnebose. Or just ask Gabriella Papadakis what it feels not to know what's happening to you. Closed head traumas don't leave visible signs, no scars, (you can just tell when I smile or laugh because a corner of my mouth doesn't move) nothing. But inside...Not blowing that whistle in Zagreb for Ashley, literally speaking, is criminal to me. I'm happy she says everything is well now (but I hope it will stay well, after effects can show long after the shock) but she could as well be in a coma and a vegetable for the rest of her life. I am deeply shocked the referee didn't stop her. Her parents/coaches aren't responsible for anything here, nor is her partner who reacted out of concern and fear. But as someone said, it would be a good thing to educate pair skaters (and ice dancers) what NOT to do when your partner hits their head on the ice. First of all, take referees to a head trauma rehab centre and show them what a "simple" hit to the head can do. To their defense, they are no doctors in medicine. But it's their responsability to immediately call one when such an accident happens, while taking the skaters off the ice right away. RIGHT AWAY.
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Foolhardy Ham Lint
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Not that simple. At all. I'm a former elite athlete, I know my body and self better than anyone. 14 years ago I suffered a severe head trauma. I was able to get up and move and talk normally (although I have absolutely no recollection of the accident and what happened afterwards). 20 mn later I crashed and lost consciousness. I had extensive brain hemorraghe and spent 36 days in a grade 3 coma. When I gradually came around (it lasted weeks, you don't wake up from a coma like every morning) I had lost speech, the ability to swallow, the complete use of my left hand and all movement coordination. I was locked inside my head for 3 months because although I could think relatively clearly I had no way to communicate with the outside world. I could not speak, my cognitive functions were messed up, I was not even able to blink or nod or shake my head on (my) command to express myself. To me it was the absolute worst. As an elite skier I was used to physical pain and confident my body would heal. But WTF was happening inside my head ?? I had 2 other brain hemoragge in the following 6 months and was put into artificial coma and hypothermia so my brain wouldn't explode. It's a miracle I was able to recover from such serious brain damage. When I say "recover" it's not totally true, all is always relative. I have 2 severe forms of epilepsy and I'm permanently on heavy medications that have nasty effects on my health. But without said meds I can't function. Even with them, I can't tell cold from heat on my skull and the hairdresser can scald me bald, I won't feel anything. Same with my left hand and it unfortunately led me to suffer 3rd degree burns. Where anti-convulsant can usually lead people to sleep like logs for 12 hours, I suffer insomnia often and lack of sleep triggers epilepsy bouts = vicious circle. I can't stand blinking lights, loud noise, wearing something on my head (hat, helmet) because they trigger fits too. I have short term memory problems. I was fluent in 4 different languages, with perfect grammar, I now make mistakes in all of them which isn't too good when you are a writer and a translator. (And which makes me want to kill Taz'smum when she corrects me...
Not blowing that whistle in Zagreb for Ashley, literally speaking, is criminal to me. I'm happy she says everything is well now (but I hope it will stay well, after effects can show long after the shock) but she could as well be in a coma and a vegetable for the rest of her life. I am deeply shocked the referee didn't stop her. Her parents/coaches aren't responsible for anything here, nor is her partner who reacted out of concern and fear. But as someone said, it would be a good thing to educate pair skaters (and ice dancers) what NOT to do when your partner hits their head on the ice. First of all, take referees to a head trauma rehab centre and show them what a "simple" hit to the head can do. To their defense, they are no doctors in medicine. But it's their responsability to immediately call one when such an accident happens, while taking the skaters off the ice right away. RIGHT AWAY.
Thank you for your post.
Moving forward, this is the kind of education that needs to be sent as an email or more to the ISU.
hanca
Values her privacy
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Wow, thank you for sharing that with us, @cholla . It was very brave so share something like this.Not that simple. At all. I'm a former elite athlete, I know my body and self better than anyone. 14 years ago I suffered a severe head trauma. I was able to get up and move and talk normally (although I have absolutely no recollection of the accident and what happened afterwards). 20 mn later I crashed and lost consciousness. I had extensive brain hemorraghe and spent 36 days in a grade 3 coma. When I gradually came around (it lasted weeks, you don't wake up from a coma like every morning) I had lost speech, the ability to swallow, the complete use of my left hand and all movement coordination. I was locked inside my head for 3 months because although I could think relatively clearly I had no way to communicate with the outside world. I could not speak, my cognitive functions were messed up, I was not even able to blink or nod or shake my head on (my) command to express myself. To me it was the absolute worst. As an elite skier I was used to physical pain and confident my body would heal. But WTF was happening inside my head ?? I had 2 other brain hemoragge in the following 6 months and was put into artificial coma and hypothermia so my brain wouldn't explode. It's a miracle I was able to recover from such serious brain damage. When I say "recover" it's not totally true, all is always relative. I have 2 severe forms of epilepsy and I'm permanently on heavy medications that have nasty effects on my health. But without said meds I can't function. Even with them, I can't tell cold from heat on my skull and the hairdresser can scald me bald, I won't feel anything. Same with my left hand and it unfortunately led me to suffer 3rd degree burns. Where anti-convulsant can usually lead people to sleep like logs for 12 hours, I suffer insomnia often and lack of sleep triggers epilepsy bouts = vicious circle. I can't stand blinking lights, loud noise, wearing something on my head (hat, helmet) because they trigger fits too. I have short term memory problems. I was fluent in 4 different languages, with perfect grammar, I now make mistakes in all of them which isn't too good when you are a writer and a translator. (And which makes me want to kill Taz'smum when she corrects me...
Not blowing that whistle in Zagreb for Ashley, literally speaking, is criminal to me. I'm happy she says everything is well now (but I hope it will stay well, after effects can show long after the shock) but she could as well be in a coma and a vegetable for the rest of her life. I am deeply shocked the referee didn't stop her. Her parents/coaches aren't responsible for anything here, nor is her partner who reacted out of concern and fear. But as someone said, it would be a good thing to educate pair skaters (and ice dancers) what NOT to do when your partner hits their head on the ice. First of all, take referees to a head trauma rehab centre and show them what a "simple" hit to the head can do. To their defense, they are no doctors in medicine. But it's their responsability to immediately call one when such an accident happens, while taking the skaters off the ice right away. RIGHT AWAY.
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ZilphaK
Guest
Just a piece of info to add to discussion:
Evidently, there is a law in Ontario that requires "all amateur sports associations, clubs and school teams to immediately remove from play any athlete suspected of suffering a concussion. They are only allowed to return to play after following a supervised protocol that ensures they have fully recovered."
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opi...-new-concussion-law-is-a-model-for-the-whole/
Right now, every state in the US has some type of concussion legislation. These all apply to school and school associated sports, but it seems not club sport, e.g. skating clubs and competitions.
https://www.shapeamerica.org/standards/guidelines/Concussion/state-policy.aspx
Evidently, there is a law in Ontario that requires "all amateur sports associations, clubs and school teams to immediately remove from play any athlete suspected of suffering a concussion. They are only allowed to return to play after following a supervised protocol that ensures they have fully recovered."
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opi...-new-concussion-law-is-a-model-for-the-whole/
Right now, every state in the US has some type of concussion legislation. These all apply to school and school associated sports, but it seems not club sport, e.g. skating clubs and competitions.
https://www.shapeamerica.org/standards/guidelines/Concussion/state-policy.aspx
Aceon6
If my father had only stayed in Canada
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I think you’re missing something. It’s a big rink. The coaches are confined to a small space near where skaters enter and exit. The door to the ice is closed and attended, and in some rinks, blocked by the attendant. The coaches are NOT in the line of sight of the referee and the panel may not even be able to see them unless the skater is at that end, which they were not. Long story short, they couldn’t do much other than call for medics (which they did) and be ready to assist if asked (which they did).
skatesindreams
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Would you consider sharing your story with TPTB who need to hear; and act on this issue, before the next incident?
I’m not missing anything. There’s always something more that can be done. Jump over the boards if the monitor won’t open the door, yell, get the monitor to Walkie-talkie the panel, yell some more, have medical run down to ref, yell to Tim to go to referee.
To say that nothing could be done is just wrong. This is their student/daughter- you find a way to stop it!!!!
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Between cholla’s story - which I knew - and the awful death of Natasha Richardson from a skiing head injury, and Josh, and Paul Binnebose, and and and, all the evidence is there for an ironclad rule of stopping the program for any head injury.
The only thing I’ll add is that having met cholla IRL, the deficiencies she’s so aware of are not evident, possibly because she had such a good brain to start with.
The only thing I’ll add is that having met cholla IRL, the deficiencies she’s so aware of are not evident, possibly because she had such a good brain to start with.
purple skates
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I agree with everything you said, but just wanted to point out that checking isn’t the only danger. My son suffered a hockey “career” ending concussion in practice, when one of his teammates accidentally ran into him in a drill and he took an elbow to the face mask. We call his junior year in high school his lost year, because he doesn’t remember too much about it.
I know US Figure Skating has forms that parents need to sign off on for competitions,and I believe my club has one for membership as well. I never paid much attention to what they said as I’m very aware of concussion protocol due to DS’s experience. Maybe someone else can comment.
There is this page from USFS: https://www.usfsa.org/story?id=90254&menu=sportscienceandmedicine
vesperholly
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Of course they could stop the program - stop skating and the referee will get it. Skaters are allowed to talk to the referee if there's a problem.
Aceon6
If my father had only stayed in Canada
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@Twizzler I’m obviously not going to change your mind, but I must remind you that just because YOU didn’t see what was going on, doesn’t mean nothing was going on. Unless, of course, you were actually by the boards at the coach’s end and are deliberately throwing the Cains under the bus. In which case, why didn’t YOU throw yourself on the ice?
Back to reality here. Thank you @cholla for posting.
Back to reality here. Thank you @cholla for posting.
Aceon6
If my father had only stayed in Canada
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I think @misskarne was speaking about Ash’s parents
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ZilphaK
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This is true. It's true for figure skating and other sports as well that it doesn't always take a head hit for a concussion to happen. My daughter sustained a mild concussion when she fell on a double flip -- head did not hit the ice, but there was a whiplash effect that caused her brain to slosh just enough to be a problem.
There aren't a lot of studies on concussion in youth hockey. (Yet. Here's one good one. ) I've read that the largest numbers of concussions -- and other serious injuries -- in youth hockey seem to happen in the 13-15 yo range, possibly due to the huge differences in size and weight in kids that age. Bantam hockey U14 means you have some 4'9" 72 lb kids playing against 5'8" 150 lb kids in checking leagues in the US. That is absolutely ridiculous. Even incidental contact where some kids' elbows are just naturally at other kids' head level can be dangerous.
When Hockey Canada took checking out of 12U (and USA followed later), numbers of reported concussions went down. In the study I linked to, it seems there is more likelihood of a concussion during a game than in practice (makes sense), but they still occur in practice. As the study states, it could be that there just aren't as many people "watching" the kids in practice -- not as much staff, but also, not as many spectators on hand to keep the coaches honest, so to speak.
In Swedish studies of high level players, checking was the cause of over 50% of the concussions. Boarding was the cause of 26%. In my world, any kid who boards another kid sits out the season and the team gets fined. Boarding is where spinal and cervical injuries happen, and there are kids who are paralyzed from neck down every few years because some little miscreant hit them from behind.
There will always be concussions in sports. But I don't think many sports are doing all they can to keep players safe while still maintaining the integrity of the game.
ETA: And @purple skates I am very sorry to hear about your son. A concussion is hard enough to deal with, but add to that the lost school time...it's hard on kids, whether the concussion was an accident or not. I hope he's doing well now!
Rafter
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Actually, her parents could have yelled at them to stop/do not continue and then their child and her partner would’ve skated to the ref and withdrawn. That’s what I would have done if that were my kid.
Who was the ref at this event?
rfisher
Let the skating begin
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I watched this in real time. It happened so fast, I don't think anybody realized what really happened before she got up. It was only on the slow motion replay that you can see what happened. Her parents were at the other end of the rink. It's not as if they could have gotten to her before she got up off the ice even if they could have done something. I'm just glad she walked away and I hope the after effects are minimal. And people need to stop with all the second guessing. It's upsetting Ashley and that is NOT what she needs at this point.
I saw this once so I didn't analyze this but she was out of sorts the entire skate. In term of the fall, it seems as if he were still holding her when she fell; her head didn't hit the ice at full force. I don't know how anyone could determine that she had "blacked out" because it wasn't apparently clear that she had lost consciousness. She was moving sluggishly throughout the entire program and her getting up slowly could just as well be from shock (at falling), being tired etc as opposed to losing consciousness.
Her partner was looking at her while she was on the ice. I'm sure falls like this happen often in pairs. She got up fairly quickly and it seems told her partner that she wanted to finish. I assume the referee would not intervene unless it was obvious the athlete couldn't continue. There have been a number of scary performances in skating, judges actually awarding the title to Hanyu while he skated with a bandage on his head after laying on the ice for what seemed minutes and he fell on almost every attempted jump sets bad precedent. I also think the USFS should have stopped Joshua Ferris when it was obvious that he was skating in pain. It's horrible for viewers to sit through yet we want to laud athletes who compete in spite of pain as somewhat heroic.
Her partner was looking at her while she was on the ice. I'm sure falls like this happen often in pairs. She got up fairly quickly and it seems told her partner that she wanted to finish. I assume the referee would not intervene unless it was obvious the athlete couldn't continue. There have been a number of scary performances in skating, judges actually awarding the title to Hanyu while he skated with a bandage on his head after laying on the ice for what seemed minutes and he fell on almost every attempted jump sets bad precedent. I also think the USFS should have stopped Joshua Ferris when it was obvious that he was skating in pain. It's horrible for viewers to sit through yet we want to laud athletes who compete in spite of pain as somewhat heroic.
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ZilphaK
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It's not just the possibility of concussion that is scary, but of neck injury. There's the story of a lacrosse player who took a hit and was down on the field. He wanted to get up and walk off, but the athletic trainer stopped him. Turned out he had a C1 fracture and was, essentially, "internally decapitated." If he had gotten up, he would have died. A hit directly on the top skull like Ashley took is one of the most dangerous kinds of hits for neck injuries.
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ZilphaK
Guest
So, along with changing safety protocols, is there anything about this lift or the exit that should be examined by ISU as a potentially un-allowed element?
I do know that when catastrophic injuries and deaths have happened in gymnastics, rules and equipment were changed -- the table for the vault, the banned-for-women Thomas salto.
Or was this something fluky in a move that is generally safe?
I do know that when catastrophic injuries and deaths have happened in gymnastics, rules and equipment were changed -- the table for the vault, the banned-for-women Thomas salto.
Or was this something fluky in a move that is generally safe?
rfisher
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To follow up on @cholla's post, the problem is most non-medical personnel do not understand TBI and don't know what to do in the immediate moment. Obviously, if there is a severe spinal cord injury, the signs and symptoms are immediate, but I've x-rayed many a patient who walked in with a non-displaced cervical injury. This is where the federations need to be educated and to educate officials and athletes. The problem is in the middle of a competition, with adrenaline at a peak, they don't always react quickly and properly. It is an evolutionary response to get up and move after an injury. Otherwise, you are vulnerable to predation. Watch what any animal does when injured. Adrenaline is a potent hormone.
I have a son with a TBI and even hospital personnel don't always understand and certainly don't react quickly. That comes from experience and education. Experience that nobody wants.
I have a son with a TBI and even hospital personnel don't always understand and certainly don't react quickly. That comes from experience and education. Experience that nobody wants.
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rfisher
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It was a fluke.
purple skates
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@Jozet, thanks for asking. He’s 23 now and had a good college golf experience (in place of hockey), but he does still occasionally have symptoms we relate back to the concussion. Usually in times of stress.
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ZilphaK
Guest
I'm glad he found another sport! My 12yo is in hockey and figure skating, but also plays soccer and loves bass fishing, so if we have to make the decision to opt out of hockey, he has some backups. Bass fishing is probably the least dangerous, as long as you don't hook yourself or do something stupid in a boat. We have a golf course nearby, so hmmmmm.
My nephew had a loss-of-consciousness concussion from skiing. He said it took about 2 years to feel completely himself again and he had a lot of depression and anger during that time. He says he's lost his sense of smell and it's never come back. But he is feeling overall better.
Barbara Manatee
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People should absolutely not be posting directly to Ashley. But what happened to her highlights a major safety issue for all skaters. It needs to be second guessed here and everywhere for as long as it takes to make improvements to the rules and procedures so it doesn't happen again to someone else.
LarrySK8
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Now, please remember, you FSU-ers, and for those who do not know me- I am a former pair skater, and I often have very strong opinions about this sport. I have read all the responses here and most are simply a waste of time to read.
TIMOTHY- AS A PAIR SKATER YOUR FIRST JOB IS TO PROTECT YOUR PARTNER. PERIOD. DUDE, SHE HIT HER HEAD AND WAS OUT COLD - UNCONCIOUS - IT WAS YOUR DUTY TO STOP AND GO TO THE REFEREE AND PROTECT HER.
TIMOTHY IS THE ONE AT FAULT. PERIOD. HE WAS THE ONLY ONE ON THE ICE WITH SOUND MIND - SHE WAS UNDER CONCUSSION. IT WAS HIS DUTY TO GO TO THE REFERREE AND GET HER MEDICAL HELP. NOT CONTINUE.
TIMOTHY - IS YOUR IQ 50?
TIMOTHY- AS A PAIR SKATER YOUR FIRST JOB IS TO PROTECT YOUR PARTNER. PERIOD. DUDE, SHE HIT HER HEAD AND WAS OUT COLD - UNCONCIOUS - IT WAS YOUR DUTY TO STOP AND GO TO THE REFEREE AND PROTECT HER.
TIMOTHY IS THE ONE AT FAULT. PERIOD. HE WAS THE ONLY ONE ON THE ICE WITH SOUND MIND - SHE WAS UNDER CONCUSSION. IT WAS HIS DUTY TO GO TO THE REFERREE AND GET HER MEDICAL HELP. NOT CONTINUE.
TIMOTHY - IS YOUR IQ 50?
My daughter also had an experience like this after her concussion (which I mentioned above) but it affected her endocrine system. Her body no longer sends out the hormones that tighten your blood vessels to keep blood pressure when you are standing. As a result she has orthostatic hypotension - blood pressure drops like 40 points when she stands and her heart races. She’s on a cocktail of meds that help to a point and is ok and studying for her mcat now but she still forgets things more than others. And on the comment above about doctors not always knowing- when she fell the emergency room told us she’d be fine just a bump on the head, and sent her home. When she saw a specialist 4 days later- he was appalled. It was the top pediatric hospital in our city- a major city I might add. Needless to say- skating eventually went away due to risk of another concussion from a any kind of fall. She switched back to Irish Dance and liked it a lotI'm glad he found another sport! My 12yo is in hockey and figure skating, but also plays soccer and loves bass fishing, so if we have to make the decision to opt out of hockey, he has some backups. Bass fishing is probably the least dangerous, as long as you don't hook yourself or do something stupid in a boat. We have a golf course nearby, so hmmmmm.
My nephew had a loss-of-consciousness concussion from skiing. He said it took about 2 years to feel completely himself again and he had a lot of depression and anger during that time. He says he's lost his sense of smell and it's never come back. But he is feeling overall better.
Carolla5501
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I think perhaps we should quit practicing medicine from our living room? She may or may not have had a concussion. She may or may not have had other injuries.
However I am 100% sure that none of us can actually diagnosis from the TV (and if you really can why are you wasting that talent when it could be used to serve the world!)
And just in case LARRYSK8 WHY ARE YOU SHOUTING AT US? (Once again you may be a former pair skater, but YELLING and being judgmental are not generally effective methods of dealing with issues LOL! But it certainly does question your IQ)
And I say all this as someone who once was assumed to have had a major head injury from a fall. (I actually ran head first into dock when I fell waterskiing. I was probably going about 40 miles an hour when I hit too!) In spite of all the doom and gloom I actually either did not have any damage or it was so minor it's never created an issue. (yes I was hauled out of the water on a backboard.... After hours of poking and prodding it was decided I was fine...… a week later when I was hauled to the doctor again because "even though you feel fine something must be wrong" even my physicians agreed "she's fine" and I have never had any issues. Now I have no feeling in one finger from another waterskiing incident but my head survived.) And I know people who have had minor accidents that have had long term damage. As a result, I don't rush to judgement and I certainly don't think that 'just because I saw something on TV, I know what the diagnosis is" .
That said, I do think the referee should be suspended forever. And ISU needs to make it clear that something like this is an automatic STOP! I have seen other instances where I think that should have been applied. (Tarah hitting the boards at Nationals a few years ago comes to mind...) They can adapt the rules to say that if the Referee stops and medical says "it's not an issue" then the skater can restart without a mandatory deduction.
However I am 100% sure that none of us can actually diagnosis from the TV (and if you really can why are you wasting that talent when it could be used to serve the world!)
And just in case LARRYSK8 WHY ARE YOU SHOUTING AT US? (Once again you may be a former pair skater, but YELLING and being judgmental are not generally effective methods of dealing with issues LOL! But it certainly does question your IQ)
And I say all this as someone who once was assumed to have had a major head injury from a fall. (I actually ran head first into dock when I fell waterskiing. I was probably going about 40 miles an hour when I hit too!) In spite of all the doom and gloom I actually either did not have any damage or it was so minor it's never created an issue. (yes I was hauled out of the water on a backboard.... After hours of poking and prodding it was decided I was fine...… a week later when I was hauled to the doctor again because "even though you feel fine something must be wrong" even my physicians agreed "she's fine" and I have never had any issues. Now I have no feeling in one finger from another waterskiing incident but my head survived.) And I know people who have had minor accidents that have had long term damage. As a result, I don't rush to judgement and I certainly don't think that 'just because I saw something on TV, I know what the diagnosis is" .
That said, I do think the referee should be suspended forever. And ISU needs to make it clear that something like this is an automatic STOP! I have seen other instances where I think that should have been applied. (Tarah hitting the boards at Nationals a few years ago comes to mind...) They can adapt the rules to say that if the Referee stops and medical says "it's not an issue" then the skater can restart without a mandatory deduction.
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ZilphaK
Guest
There is a truth about concussions and head injuries: the same-looking head hit could be horrible for one person and relatively benign for another; some teens die from SIS and some don't; some athletes will go on to suffer CTE and ALS later in life as a result of head hits and some won't: it's not always the same for every person.
However, as with cigarette smoking and eating poorly and not exercising, there is research which all points in the same direction that says "take it seriously, take time to get looked at, and take time to heal."
And the other truth is that this conversation is important in skating because we don't talk about head injuries nearly enough, especially as they trickle down to kids on Bob's Ice Rink who are also slamming into the ice without the world watching, and whose coaches and parents think it must not be so bad because their kid isn't playing football. Unfortunately for Ashley, she is going to be the catalyst for that conversation, because it happened so dramatically in full-view of the world. It will be difficult now, but better for all in the long run.
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SmallFairy
Guest
I was so sure I already had Larryskater on ignore. Oh well. Never too late!
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ZilphaK
Guest
Whoa. The same exact thing is happening to my daughter (figure skater) right now. Could you message me and let me know what tests your daughter had that we might consider? ETA Sent you a message.
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