The Athlete's Lawyer

Doug Landau, of the Herndon law firm ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd., at the start of the Newton crosss country run during the Multisport World conference in Bethesda, Maryland

DC, Maryland and Virginia Triathletes, Duathletes, Runners, Bikers, Swimmers and Rowers were treated to some outstanding lectures, demonstrations, clinics and competition at this past weekend’s Multisport World in North Bethesda.  There were individual and team competitions in swimming relay, cross country running and indoor computrainer cycling events.  Triathlon Trial Lawyer Doug Landau competed in the running and cycling events.  The 5km race was sponsored by Newton running shoe company, and Landau wore his custom-cut Newtons around the Georgetown Prep Track, golf course and roads. Top finishers and teams got free shoes !

For the 10km. time trial inside the Expo hall, Landau brought his bike and shoes, and a change of clothes, as he was soaked afterwards !  The school’s locker room and facilities were excellent, and this event is sure to get bigger each year.  Cheered on by friends from the DC Triathlon Club, RATS (Reston Area TriathleteS), Team FeXY, Team Z, TriCats, SetUp Inc., Rehab 2 Racing and others, the Herndon injury lawyer was able to average over 22 miles per hour on the hilly course and over 230 watts !

Herndon injury lawyer Doug Landau, SPOKES publisher Neil Sandler, Virginia Triathlon Series race director Greg Hawkins, and Rehab 2 Racing Triathlon Coach Rob Colburn survey the scene at the 2011 Multisport World Expo in Bethesda, MD

Multisport World came to the Mid Atlantic region today.   Developed in partnership with USAT Mid-Atlantic Region and held at the state-of-the-art Hanley Center for Athletic Excellence at Georgetown Prep in North Bethesda, Maryland, triathletes, duathletes, bikers, runners and swimmers were treated to a full day of activities.   The local high school’s indoor track, pool and conference rooms were devoted to multisport seminars, training clinics, workshops, competitive events and more.  The first 500 registered attendees received  swag bags with product samples, money-saving coupons and more.  Plus all registered attendees were eligible to win valuable prizes and receive discounts to selected Multisport World clinics.

The campus golf course and outdoor track were the venues for the Newton running shoes demonstration and challenging 5km and the pristine pool, held Total Immersion swim clinics.  Georgetown Prep was the site of the Bethesda Cure Autism Now Sprint Triathlon (yes, that’s my photo on the far right, exiting the pool en route to winning the race 2 years ago !).  All of the big names, and clubs from Virginia, Maryland and DC triathlon were there.  There were also a number of newcomers and there was something for everyone, from “newbie” to veteran.  In the following posts, the competitions and other news will be published.

The National Football League is looking into kickoff modifications in order to help ‘deal with injury numbers’ according to news reports this week.  Indicating that it was a matter of safety, along with possible suspensions for player who make illegal hits, the NFL is recommending that kickoffs be moved from the 30- to the 35-yard line — as it was before 1994.  Also, kicking team members must line up within five yards of the ball.  This would prevent the kicking team members from lining up 10-15 yards behind the ball to get a running start.  By the time these offensive players got downfield, they were at full speed.

The sound of the impact when 300 pounds of professional football player, sprinting at top speed, strikes another player moving in the opposite direction at maximum velocity, it something not soon forgotten.  The momentum of each player (speed times mass) is truly shocking.  The league recognizes the potential for devastating and career ending head, neck and brain injuries and is looking into way to modify the game while still keeping its essential features.  Read more at the Washington Examiner.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (“CPSC”) in cooperation with EB Brands, of Yonkers, New York announced a voluntary recall of Resistance Stretch Tubing manufactured in China.  Having used these types of exercise devices to work out at home and at the gym, sports injury lawyer Doug Landau notes that strength training equipment should be built to withstand normal use without injuring the athlete.  Landau’s opwn family members have used products like this for swim training and rehabilitation.  At the Herndon law firm ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd., it is important to help prevent future injuries to consumers and athletes, as well as asist them after injuries caused through no fault of their own.  With this particular exercise product, the handle on the tubing, also called bands, can break or detach while in use, causing the tubing or handle to strike the user and posing an injury hazard.  There has already been a report of an incident involving a bone injury.

This recall involves Everlast Resistance Stretch Tubing, Everlast Pilates Stretch Tubing, Sportline Resistance Stretch Tubing and Pineapple Pilates Stretch Tubing, used for exercise and stretching. The tubing comes in yellow, blue or black with black handles. The words “2404″, “2001 EB Sport Group” and “Made in China” are molded on the handles. A list of affected lot numbers is available on the EB Sports Group’s website.

Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.  For additional information, contact EB Brands at (800) 624-5671.  A picture of recalled stretch tubing can be found at the CPSC recall website.

As a customer who gets a “dividend” each year from REI, sports injury lawyer Doug Landau was impressed the the Recreational Equipment company’s voluntary recall of its Novara Fusion Bicycles.  In an age when many recreational product makers and sports product suppliers deny, obfuscate and/or pass the buck, REI’s act is commendable.  Landau, of the Herndon law firm ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd. hopes that by posting notice of this recall,injuries to his fellow cyclists will be prevented.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with REI, announced a voluntary recall of the bicycles.  REI recalled the bicycles due to a fall hazard. The alloy steerer tube could separate from the fork causing the rider to lose control, posing a fall hazard to consumers. REI received one report of a steerer tube detaching. No injuries have been reported. This defective sports product was sold exclusively at REI stores nationwide and at REI.com from November 2009 to November 2010 for between $600 and $900.

Purchasers should immediately stop riding the bicycles and contact their local REI store or the REI customer service center to arrange for a replacement fork to be installed free of charge.  Remember, it is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product. For more information, contact REI at (800) 426-4840 anytime or go to REI’s website.

Brain injury in sports can occur even without outward manifestation, such as bleeding, swelling of the skull, bruising of the skin or laceration. Sports medicine specialists who study head injury in athletics have long noted that it is the movement of the brain inside the hard, bony shell (the cranium) that often determines the nature and extent of the brain damage. Director of the Brain Injury and Sports Concussion Institute at the University of Virginia School of Medicine Jeffrey Barth has explained, “if [a player] is not expecting it, the head snaps on the neck [when struck].”  The Sports Illustrated Special Report Concussions concluded by noting that when an athlete is caught off guard or going the wrong way, even a minor blow to the head can be devastating.  This is because the speed at which the head snaps back and how long it takes to decelerate often determine whether an athlete will be concussed.  It the snapping of the head and neck is rapid enough, the player can lose consciousness momentarily, and suffer a concussion.

To entirely prevent or mitigate concussive head-snapping, athletes Read the rest of this entry »

When I followed professional football as a teenager in the 1970s, only Bubba Smith weighed more than 300 pounds.  Now, “super sized” linemen are commonplace.  Can you imagine a 300 pound person falling on top of you ?  How about 2 or 3 ?!!?  What about the health effects on these gigantic players, making sudden movements with all that weight, hitting each other and running anaerobically ?  And what happens to these large men when their playing days are over, and they are no longer professional athletes looked after by a team of doctors, trainers and dietitians ?

According to a report in the New York Times, there are more than 500 300-pounders presently.  A 1994 National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health study found that former offensive and defensive linemen had a 52% higher rate of death from cardiovascular disease than did the general population. Since then, the players at these positions have only gotten bigger, with the average weight in the NFL 252 pounds.  A 2005 University of North Carolina study found that more than a quarter of the NFL’s players fit the category of Class II obesity, Read the rest of this entry »

Triathlon Trial Lawyer Doug Landau of the Herndon law firm ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd., was runner up in his age group at the Reston Town Center New Year's Day 5k road running race

In a new addition to the New Years Day racing lineup in Northern Virginia, our friends at Potomac River Running (“PRR”) have come up with a New Year’s Day 5k in Reston. The 5k started on Market Street at the Reston Town Center at the very civilized hour of 10 a.m.  One of the advantages of this venue is that there is plenty of free parking available in the numerous garages at the Town Center.  The race was computer chip timed, and packet pick up was available at the PRR Reston store. Read the rest of this entry »

DC Running Coach, elite duathlete & National Road Running League founder Mike Hamberger, DC & Triathlon Trial Lawyer Doug Landau after competing in a 3km race in the Nation's Capitol

The National Road Running League (NRRL) has been formed to give runners in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia area a way to compete over the course of several local races in a team scoring format.  Triathlon Trial Lawyer Doug Landau attended the “pre-launch” event at Lulu Lemon in Georgetown after running in the Jingle Bell 10km.  There were representatives from the major running shoes stores, top runners, university clubs, road running clubs and other sports enthusiasts.  According to DC Running Coach Michael Hamberger, this is only running league in the country geared toward team competition across states.  Visit the NRRL website and be sure to watch the introduction video on the home page.

In 2011 the NRRL will only have 1 region competing in the U.S.; the Washington, DC metro area.  The DC area was recently ranked as the fittest city in the country for the 3rd straight year by the American College of Sports Medicine (“ACSM”).  Hamberger intends to grow the league until every city, town, or region in the country can be represented and a true “meet of champions” can take place each Fall.  The primary goal of the NRRL is to provide runners with a competitive outlet unlike anything to come before it, so that the team element of running can be put back into the sport.  This league is for everyone, not just the “elites.”   While there are “elite” male and female team divisions, there are also “weekend warrior” categories as well.  So check it out, put together a team (or join an existing group) and get ready to race !

At least at the start of the race when the canon fires.  That was Herndon injury lawyer Doug Landau’s experience when he ran the New York City Marathon.  He and his brother both ran on other people’s sweat clothes, gloves, hats, mittens and other garments for what seemed like the first mile !  This surreal experience drove home the magnitude of the event and the logistical planning required by the New York Road Runners Club (“NYRRC”) to stage a world-class event in one of the busiest cities on the planet.   At the start on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, there will be 1,694 portable toilets, 42,000 PowerBars, 90,000 bottles of water and 563 pounds of Dunkin’ Donuts coffee beans, enough to make 45,000 cups. About 500 volunteers will collect more than 10 tons of sweat suits, sleeping bags and Snuggies, much of which will be cleaned and given to charities. The bridge must be cleared within an hour of the last runner’s leaving. More than 70 United Parcel Service trucks will take the athletes’ belongings to the finish line.

According to the New York Times, among the more than 6,000 volunteers on race day are medical workers at the 38 aid stations. They will have on hand 11,410 pounds of ice, 13,475 bandages, 57,059 salt packages and 390 tubs of Vaseline. They will have 435 cots and 30 defibrillators that, hopefully, will not be needed.