Formula One Champion, Michael Schumacher, Suffers Brain Injuries in Skiing Accident
Seven-time Formula One world champion, Michael Schumacher, suffered serious brain injuries in a skiing accident on December 29, 2013. After two surgeries he has shown some signs of improvement, but doctors are not ready to speculate on his prognosis. He will spend his 45th birthday in a medically induced coma, with loved ones by his side.
Tragic Accident
Schumacher was skiing with his 14-year-old son at the Meribel resort in the French Alps. He was skiing off-piste between two very advanced runs, when he hit a rock which catapulted him into the air, and then came down head-first onto another rock which split his helmet in two. His manager, Sabine Kehm, said that he had stopped to help a friend who had fallen, shortly before the accident and that speed was not a contributing factor.
It is believed that if he had not been wearing a helmet he would not have survived the initial impact.
Prompt Treatment
When rescuers arrived, about eight minutes after the accident occurred, Schumacher was still conscious. He was taken, by helicopter, to a nearby hospital, then moved to Grenoble University Hospital. An artificial coma was induced to minimize swelling in the brain, and as soon as it was reasonable, surgery was performed to remove blood build-up in the brain to reduce pressure.
Although it is too early to predict the ultimate outcome of his injuries, the fact that he has a chance of recovering and has made it this long is largely due to receiving prompt treatment to stop the damage from progressing.
As we saw with Natasha Richardson, even a seemingly minor skiing accident can cause fatal brain injuries in victims who do not initially lose consciousness and do not believe that they need to seek medical attention. This is because swelling, fluid build-up and pressure inside of the brain can continue to get worse over the first 72 hours after the initial injury.
Cumulative Effect of Concussions
We are learning more every day about the cumulative, long-term effects of concussions and subconcussive events. Although media attention to the issue has focused primarily on professional athletes, mainly football players, and to a lesser extent on military veterans, anyone who experiences multiple concussions or subconcussive hits is at risk for a progressive, degenerative brain disease called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
Concussions in skiing and other sports do not always involve a blow to the head. A body blow can cause your brain to slam into the inside of your skull hard enough to cause bruising and swelling, and the forces can cause stretching and tearing inside of the brain. A bad fall or hitting a tree or another skier can generate sufficient forces to cause a concussion.
Both novice and experienced amateur skiers need to keep in mind the dangers of concussions. If you do hit your head, or take a hard body blow, don’t take any chances. Get yourself checked out and stay off the slopes until you are sure you are not injured. If you have already suffered injuries while skiing, it may be time to consider another pastime.
