Concussions have been a hot
topic in the sports medicine world for the last several years. New rules and
equipment have been established to help decrease the incidence of this injury
in athletes of all types, from contact to non-contact sports; yet concussions
are still very common. According to the Centers of
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “during 2001-2005, an estimated
207,830 emergency department (ED) visits for concussions and other traumatic
brain injuries (TBIs) related to sports and recreation activities were reported
annually, with 65% of TBIs occurring among children aged 5--18 years”.
Athletic Trainers are usually the
first on the scene to evaluate an athlete who may have suffered a concussion
after a hard blow to his head or body. They must make an accurate and quick decision
to let the athlete return-to-play or pull him out of the game. This sometime
can be relatively easy to do because symptoms are obvious but oftentimes it can
be very puzzling and unclear as to whether the athlete actually has a
concussion or not.
Moreover, Athletic Trainers must
ensure that the athlete goes through a comprehensive return-to-play protocol. At
the 4th
International Conference on Concussion in Sport, it was
established that “the cornerstone of concussion management is physical and
cognitive rest until the acute symptoms resolve and then a graded program of
exertion prior to medical clearance and return to play”. Athletic Trainers must
then follow a thorough neuropsychological evaluation of the athlete until signs
and symptoms disappear completely. The new Sport Concussion
Assessment Tool or SCAT3, released early this year, offers a full assessment
of the athlete’s brain that can be performed from day one, when the athlete
suffered the concussion, all the way throughout his recovery and clearance. Athletic
Trainers must be consistent with their concussion management and never let an
athlete return to his sport until they are 100% positive that the athlete is
ready to go.
Great topic! I agree that Trainers must be consistent with their concussion management and never let an athlete return to his sport until they are 100% positive that the athlete is ready to go. It is very crucial to have a good time table for return to play. Most of the time concussions are overlooked due to symptoms not being as visible at time.
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