As the number of concussions accumulated over his career, Patrick Nyarko began to change the way he played soccer.
“In the past, I would go into anything,” he said. “When the ball was on the ground, I would throw myself forward. I like winning possession for my team, whichever way I can. Sometimes I would risk my health when I did that, but that’s how I played. I went into riskier stuff.”
Even a different approach, though, cannot prevent every potential head injury. Early in D.C. United’s MLS opener at Los Angeles two weeks ago, the attacker took a blow from behind, a head-to-head knock.