Be Alert for Concussions in Young Athletes

TUESDAY, Jan. 1, 2019 -- With youth winter sports in full swing, it's important for coaches and parents to know the signs of a concussion, a sports medicine doctor says.

"Because concussion can affect thinking, the person who suffered the injury might not realize there is a problem," said Dr. Kathryn Gloyer, a primary sports medicine physician with Penn State Health in State College, Pa.

Even Non-Concussion Head Hits Affect Young Football Players' Vision

THURSDAY, Dec. 20, 2018 -- New research on 12 high school football players tracked for a season found that repeat head impacts affected the boys' vision -- even if those hits didn't result in concussion.

The Indiana University researchers stressed that the changes in vision did seem temporary.

Surmounting That Fitness Plateau

THURSDAY, Dec. 13, 2018 -- Just as there are diet plateaus, you can hit the wall with exercise, too -- no longer seeing results from your efforts and then losing motivation.

According to the experts at the American Council on Exercise, a plateau is often a sign that your body has adapted to the specific workout you're doing and needs a new stimulus to move to the next level.

For Kids' Sports, Diversification Is Best

SATURDAY, Nov. 17, 2018 -- If your kid is highly skilled at hockey but wants to try basketball, new research suggests you shouldn't worry about whether that might cost your child a college scholarship.

Researchers surveyed 91 professional and collegiate ice hockey players and found they tended to play multiple sports as children, and only started to focus solely on hockey at about age 14.

Brain Changes Seen in MRIs of Young Football Players

MONDAY, Nov. 26, 2018 -- High-impact hits may affect the brain development of children and teens after just one season of football, preliminary research suggests.

The study compared functional MRI scans taken pre- and post-season. The researchers saw more gray matter volume in those who had high-impact hits -- but no concussions -- over the season.