In the cutthroat world of elite sports, sidelined players often seek fringe medicine for faster, more robust recoveries. Injections of stem cells and blood plasma, au courant among the pros, can blur the line between therapy and performance enhancement. But science is no panacea. Stem cell therapies are clinically unproven, the physiology of head trauma remains a mystery, and rest is still the best Rx for pulled muscles. Here, the four most medically intriguing injuries in sports.
Elisabeth Roen Kelly/DISCOVER Magazine | NULL
CONCUSSION Repeated blows to the head may cause permanent brain damage. Boston University neuroscientists recently studied the brains of 15 deceased pro football players and found that 14 had chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative condition similar to Lou Gehrig’s disease. The National Football League, in response, is considering helmet sensors to measure the force of hits.
TENDON TEARS Before his problems off the course, Tiger Woods’s biggest ...
