McClafferty, Carla Killough. Fourth Down and Inches.

McClafferty, Carla Killough.  Fourth Down and Inches.  Lerner/Carolroda/DarbyCreek/Stoke Books  2013 96p  ISBN 978-1-4677-1067-1      ms/hs  VG  Nonfiction 

Concussions and football are referred to in the title of this book, and indeed provide its focus.  But, while football and its impact on traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), and concussions in particular, are central, the neuroscience presented is relevant for participants in any sport where there is a risk of falling or impact causing the brain to ‘bellring” in the skull.  With a lot of football history and lore, and even more neuroscience that many laymen can understand, the author examines traumatic brain injuries and explains them to the reader.  This reader loves football as much as many Americans, but I have to say that I will be more hesitant to watch the game in the future.  The author makes a clear case for continued research in the field, and more important, finding better means of protecting players by adjusting the rules of play.  There is no equipment available to prevent concussion in any sport.  As stated in a quote by kinesthesiologist and neuroscientist Dr. Broglio on page 49, “a typical starting football player could therefore be expected to sustain over eight thousand impacts to the head during a combined four-year high-school and four-year collegiate career.”

The damage caused by brain injuries to players’ bodies, the impact on families and careers, and the science behind them are most ably presented in this well-illustrated and cited book.  This reader would have preferred a bit less of the history, and some readers may feel the same way.  But there is more than adequate information to be had for any reader interested in the topic.  The book concludes with symptomatology to recognize concussions, the process of returning to play after an injury, source notes, a selected bibliography, lists for further reading both print and web, and an index.       

Summary: Concussions and football are referred to in the title of this book, and indeed provide its focus.  But, while football and its impact on traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), and concussions in particular, are central, the neuroscience presented is relevant for participants in any sport where there is a risk of falling or impact causing the brain to “bellring” in the skull.

Brain injuries, Concussions                                --Lynn Fisher