Eagles QB Michael Vick says he’s back from concussion, ready to play Giants

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick says he’s ready to play against the New York Giants on Sunday, a week after sustaining a concussion while playing the Falcons last Sunday in Atlanta.

Vick missed practice on Wednesday but was checked out by a neurosurgeon and allowed to resume practice and playing.

According to Eagles coach Andy Reid, Vick has shown no ill effects of the concussion in the ensuing practice sessions.

“I’ll tell you, he’s been sharp,” he said, according to Associated Press. “That’s the best way I can sum it up. He’s done a very nice job in managing everything. He’s done good.”

Seven days is probably a decent period of healing time. In fact, a 2003 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggested that college football players may need seven days to recover from the effects of a concussion

Nonetheless, Vick should probably remain cautious. Concussions may be a relatively common occurrence for athletes in high-impact sports like football, but they’re no joke. A 2000 study published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine found that football players with a concussion are three times more likely to suffer a second concussion -- most likely because they returned to the game too soon.

Regardless of short-term healing, the long-term effects of repeated concussions are not well known. But as sports writer Lance Pugmire points out, researchers are looking to study what happens to the brain of boxers and mixed martial arts fighters -- athletes who also suffer from cumulative concussions over time.

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