DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I have become quite interested in learning about the danger of concussions in contact sports, especially football. I read all the information I can get my hands on. I have yet to find an answer to a question that popped up in my mind some time ago. Are less-than-concussion-causing head blows dangerous to the brain? It seems to me that over time they would be. Am I right? — H.L.

ANSWER: Researchers at Purdue University have published a study that evaluated the possibility of brain damage from multiple hits to the head, hits that were not in the concussion-causing range. These researchers found that a series of head blows did cause a decline in cognitive (thinking) functions. I can’t tell you how great the decline was or whether it was permanent. The investigators are continuing their research to find out the number of head blows needed to produce this effect.

All the players in the Purdue study were high-school age. All wore protective helmets.

This kind of information is unsettling to parents of children who play football or any contact sport where head injury is possible. However, much more work has to be done to prove that nonconcussive head impacts are truly dangerous.

All this information on head injury is valuable. I hope it doesn’t put an end to contact sports. I don’t believe it will. I believe it will ultimately lead to the manufacturing of head gear that provides better head and brain protection.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My game is tennis. My coach tells me my grip is weak and to work on it.

He didn’t tell me what that work is. How do you go about getting stronger wrist muscles? — H.D.

ANSWER: The wrist has no muscles. It has bones, tendons and ligaments.

Forearm muscles provide wrist strength. The forearms are the lower arms, the part between the wrist and the elbow.

A good exercise for forearm muscles is to sit on a bench with your arms resting on your thighs and with the wrists and hands projecting past the knees. Grab a barbell. Start with 5 pounds or less. With the knuckles of your hands pointing up, bend the wrist up and down while holding the barbell fairly firmly. Do eight consecutive bends.

Take a minute to rest. Then turn your hands so the knuckles are facing the floor. Do eight consecutive bends in this position.

Perform three sets of eight bends with your hands in both positions.

When you can easily perform 12 bends, increase the weight of the barbell and go back to eight bends.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I’m trying to teach my kid how to play baseball. He’s not bad at catching the ball, but he’s not good at hitting it.

I thought that I would jazz up a ball by painting stripes on it. I figure it will make him concentrate more on the ball. What do you think? — R.R.

ANSWER: I think you have a good idea. You’re talking about improving your boy’s eye tracking. A good hitter follows the ball from the second it leaves the pitcher’s hand to the second that the bat meets the ball. If you can teach the boy to follow the ball all the way to his bat, I’m sure you’ll see a marked improvement in his batting prowess.

Dr. Donohue regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but he will incorporate them in his column whenever possible. Readers may write him or request an order form of available health newsletters at P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Readers may also order health newsletters from www.rbmamall.com.

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