Better safe than sorry
Sport in the world today has grown to be more popular than anyone could have ever imagined. Many athletes from all over the world participate in sports albeit at high school, collegiate or professional level. The role of coaches, parents, officials, clinicians and researchers is also starting to become more serious as sport starts to feature in more and more lives. Safety is becoming a greater concern as people would love to enjoy sports with minimal risk of injury. Post-concussion syndrome is one such a safety concern. Thankfully, the pre-season screenings offered at Brain Hub are one way to manage the problem.
What is post-concussion syndrome?
A large number of people seek help for mild head injuries because they start to experience symptoms after such an injury. Many people show no symptoms at all, while the majority experience some symptoms of the post-concussion injury. Such symptoms may include:
- dizziness
- nausea
- blurred vision
- fatigue
- frustration
- depression
- headache
- double vision
- poor memory
- poor concentration
- irritability
- photophobia
- sensitivity to noise
- sleep disturbance
- restlessness
- tinnitus
Pre-season Screening for concussion
New research on sport-related concussion in the recent years has provided valuable knowledge to medical professionals and athletic training professionals. The key idea is to reduce the incidence and the level of severity of sport-related concussion injuries and to create a better framework of thought about who can safely return to play the game. In the management of sport-related concussion, the most challenging part is recognizing the injury. This is especially true in athletes who show no obvious signs of post-concussive syndrome.
Clinicians are currently using standardised methods progressively more to gain a more objective measurement of the signs and symptoms (like postural instability and cognitive dysfunction) of post-concussion syndrome. Such methods help the clinician to measure the severity of the injury and to assess the progress during the post-injury recovery phase. Information from the trainer and physician should not be excluded and should be considered as important parts of the puzzle.
Baseline concussion testing
Baseline testing is an exam done by a qualified health care professional pre-seasonally to assess the balance and the brain function (including memory skills, concentration, problem solving) of an athlete and to detect any symptoms of post-concussion syndrome. It is suggested that baseline testing should be done annually.
Ultimately, using the results of the baseline concussion test, a decision can be made about when it is safe for a player to return to the game. To book your pre-season screening contact us now.
References:
- Guskiewicz KM, Bruce SL, Cantu RC, et al. National Athletic Trainers’ Association Position Statement: Management of Sport-Related Concussion. J Athl Train. 2004 Jul-Sep; 39(3): 280–297.
- King NS. Post-concussion syndrome: clarity amid the controversy? The British Journal of Psychiatry. 2003 Oct 1; 183(4):276-8.
- Sports Concussion Institute. Concussion Resources for Coaches and Athletic Trainers. Available from: http://www.concussiontreatment.com/forcoaches.html
- Centres for disease control and prevention. FAQs about Baseline Testing. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/headsup/basics/baseline_testing.html
