Tackling Concussions | Pro-Motion Physical Therapy

FROM THE PROMOPT BLOG

If you haven’t felt a shift in the air lately, here’s a reminder: fall is arriving. For many, fall means football — It is Friday night lights; it’s Saturdays supporting the favored college team; it’s Sundays devoted to Seahawks and fantasy football.

Lately, football also means a discussion on the safety of the sport. Concussions have taken center stage with multiple former players suffering from long-term issues due to these brain injuries.

Given the importance of the issues, let’s tackle concussions to discover what they are and how athletes should be prepared if they face such an injury.

What is a concussion?

It happens all the time. In fact, some estimate that the likelihood of an athlete experiencing a concussion in a contact sport is as high as 19% per season. A concussion is a traumatic brain injury caused by a bump, jolt, or blow to the head. After the initial impact, the force of the bump, jolt, or blow causes the brain to strike the inner surface of the skull and rebound against the opposite side. Think of the egg white and yolk of an egg if you tap it against a counter top: the shell of the egg, like the football helmet, is strong, but the inside can still be stirred up. As a result, the brain can be injured, nerves short circuit, swelling can occur and symptoms follow quickly.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms fall into four major categories: 1. Thinking/remembering 2. Physical 3. Emotional/mood 4. Sleep

First off, a concussion can make it difficult to think clearly, almost like everything is a haze. You might feel like your brain has slowed down and it’s difficult to concentrate. You may even find it hard to remember new information.

Second, a concussion leaves physical side effects. You may have headaches and blurry vision. There might be, especially early on, a tendency to vomit or have extreme nausea. You could feel pretty dizzy. A concussion could influence your balance and you might have sensitivity to light and noise. Also, you may feel tired or without energy.

Third, your mood might change with a concussion. You could face irritability, sadness, nervousness, or anxiety.

Lastly, your sleep patterns might shift. Perhaps you’ll sleep more than usual; you might sleep less; you could have trouble falling asleep.

How can you tell if a concussion is a serious brain injury?

It is important to be on the safe side — always. As a result of a bump, blow, or jolt to the head, you have a headache that gets worse and does not diminish over time, there’s weakness, numbness or decreased coordination, you are repeatedly vomiting, or you have slurred speech, call 911. Go to the emergency room. Make sure you are properly treated by professionals. Always act on the side of caution. Most high schools have an athletic trainer on staff who is adept at assessing the athlete right on the sidelines.

Not all concussions are the same.

Even though it is always better to be safe than sorry with concussions, life-threatening brain trauma is a rare occasion. Concussions are split into 3 grades.

At grade 1, an athlete will be inattentive, have poor concentration, and will be unable to process information. He or she will not lose consciousness and any symptoms or memory loss will resolve in 15 minutes or less.

At grade 2, the same symptoms from grade 1 apply with the main difference being memory loss surrounding the injury that lasts longer than 15 minutes to resolve.

Finally, at grade 3, an athlete loses consciousness as a result of the injury.

To better understand the extent of an injury, tests such as the ImPACT Test, Scat 2, and ACE give coaches helpful tools in diagnosing a concussion during the run of play.

Most concussions (80%) improve between 10-14 days, but the other 20% might struggle much longer than 2 weeks without proper treatment.

If you think you have a concussion or if you think somebody else has one, per the symptoms listed above, the most important step is to remove yourself or the athlete from play. If there is any doubt whatsoever, stay out of harm’s way. There’s no need to take unnecessary risks no matter your competitive drive.

The next step is to get evaluated by a medical professional that knows concussions. While on-field coach assessment can help diagnose a concussion, it should never replace the consultation of a professional. Be prepared to discuss the cause of the injury (a blow, a jolt in play?), any loss of consciousness, memory loss immediately after, seizures, and the number of previous concussions.

Finally, it is important to stay out of play until you have the go-ahead of a medical professional. A concussed athlete needs rest to prevent reinjury, observation from a responsible adult, and limited exposure to drugs. Make sure you consult a doctor before taking any medication during concussion recovery.

Typically, if you are feeling normal after 7-10 days, you still have 5 extra days before it’s all right to return to practice and competition. Full brain recovery takes time and it is important to be cautious and safe when it comes to your brain. But remember, each individual is different and the response to a concussion varies on a case-by-case basis.

Also, recovery can be slower for young children, and teens, or older adults. Each person reacts differently to a concussion and a close relationship with medical professionals is needed to manage concussions safely.

Your Safety is Important!

Fall means football season; it also means concussions. Just remember to err on the side of caution. Your safety is more important than an individual game.

At Pro- Motion, we are familiar with the use of the SCAT 2 and can work closely with your doctor to help you return to play at the right time.