Immediate complications of traumatic brain injury are well recognised and generally appropriately addressed in sport. Of greater concern is the potential accumulative damage caused by repeated minor trauma. In a BJGP editorial in 1999 while medical officer for Exeter City football club, I raised concern over repeated heading of the ball.1 This year, the Football Association (FA) has embarked upon a programme to identify the extent of the problem, but why has it taken almost 20 years to get to this point and what do we advise our patients?Chronic traumatic encephalopathy is a neurodegenerative condition first identified in boxers, characterised by mood, behavioural, and cognitive deficits. The natural history of the condition is unknown, …
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