Champion Fitness Physical Therapy

• Sole provider of Certified Athletic Trainers’ and Athletic Training services since 2009

Champion Fitness Physical Therapy and their Role at PTHS

• Provide day-to-day Athletic Training focusing on:– Prevention– Recognition– Immediate Care of

Athletic Injuries– Communication

between athletes, coaches and parents

• Athletic Teams Covered:– Football– Volleyball– Cheerleading– Baseball – Softball– Wrestling– Boy’s & Girl’s Cross Country– Boy’s & Girl’s Basketball– Boy’s & Girl’s Swimming– Boy’s & Girl’s Tennis– Boy’s & Girl’s Track & Field– Boy’s & Girl’s Golf

Champion Fitness Physical Therapy and their Role at PTHS

• Certified Athletic Trainers’ are available Monday thru Friday and for practices and events.– Arrive at PTHS at 2:00 PM and leave once either practice or

event has completed.• There is a open clinic at Champion Fitness Physical Therapy

Monday thru Friday from 6:30 AM to 7:30 AM.– Waivers will need to be filled out at Champion Fitness for

treatment which will cover the athlete for the entire school year.• There is also an open clinic at Champion Fitness on

Saturday (Fall-season only) from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM.– Same stipulations for treatment as the morning clinic.

Continued Hot Topic in Sports

CONCUSSIONS

Concussions Defined

• A concussion (or mild traumatic brain injury) is a complex pathophysiological process affecting the brain, induced by traumatic biomechanical forces secondary to direct or indirect forces to the head. Disturbance of brain function is related to NEUROMETABOLIC DYSFUNCTIONS, rather than structural brain injury, and is typically associated with normal structural imaging findings (CT, MRI). Concussions may or may not involve a loss of consciousness. Concussion results in a constellation of physical, cognitive, emotional, and sleep-related symptoms. Recovery is a sequential process and symptoms may last form several minutes to days, weeks, months, or even longer in some cases.

What Sports are Affected by Concussion?

Current statistics per 100,000 athletic exposures per year

– Football between 60 and 76.8– Girl’s Soccer between 33 and 35– Boy’s Lacrosse between 30 and 46.6– Girl’s Lacrosse between 20 and 31– Boy’s Soccer between 17 and 19.2– Boy’s Wrestling between 17 and 23.9– Girl’s Basketball between 16 and 18.6– Softball between 11 and 16.3– Boy’s Basketball between 11 and 21.2– Girl’s Field Hockey between 10 and

24.9– Cheerleading 11.5– Girl’s Volleyball between 5 and 8.6– Baseball between 4.6 and 6

The Truth• Concussion and can

happened in any sport and should be handled in the same manner from sport to sport

Troubling Numbers

• Only 47% of high school athletes reported their concussion

• Most Common Reasons for Not Reporting– Not serious enough to warrant medical attention

(66%)– Didn’t want to be withheld from play (41%)– Lack of awareness of probable concussion (36%)

2012-2013 PTHS Concussion Early Detection and Testing

SPORTS CONCUSSION ASSESSMENT TOOL

2/CONCUSSION VITAL SIGNS

Concussion Testing

• Sports Concussion Assessment Tool 2 will be used as the on-field assessment tool using:– Symptom Evaluation– Cognitive Evaluation– Physical Evaluation

• If deemed necessary the next step is for the athlete to undergo a Concussion Vital Signs post-concussion test– This test would then be compared to baseline test taken

during the pre-season practices

Concussion Vital Signs

• Concussion Vital Signs provides a flexible set of concussion tools enabling a more efficient approach to the management of concussions. The toolset includes a standardized quantitative view of neurocognitive function, and athlete-reported history, and a concussion symptom rating scale. Baselining and assessing an athlete’s cognitive state, tracking symptom resolution, and documenting past concussions are key components in assessing an athlete’s concussion status. Concussion Vital Signs was developed with input from concussion experts to meet the needs of a variety of clients while supporting the most current and forward looking concussion guidelines.

SCAT2 Signs & Symptoms to Watch For:

• Problems could arise over the first 24-48 hours. Athletes should not be left alone and must go to a hospital at once if they:

• Have a headache that gets worse• Are very drowsy or can’t be awakened• Can’t recognize people or places• Have repeated vomiting• Behave unusually or seem confused; are very irritable• Have seizures • Have weak or numb arms or legs• Are unsteady on feet; have slurred speech

SCAT2 Return-To-Play Considerations

• Athletes should not be returned to play the same day of injury. When returning athletes to play, they should follow a stepwise symptom-limited program, with stages of progression. For example:

• Rest until asymptomatic (physical and mental rest)• Light aerobic exercise (e.g. stationary bike)• Sport-specific exercise• Non-contact training drills (start light resistance training)• Full contact training after medical clearance• Return to competition (game play)

• There should be approximately 24 hours (or longer) for each stage and the athlete should return to stage 1 if symptoms recur. Resistance training should only be added in the later stages.

• MEDICAL CLEARANCE SHOULD BE GIVEN BEFORE RETURN-TO-PLAY– I do reserve the right to override a doctor’s clearance note if I deem that the athlete is not ready to

return to full competition.

Concussion RTP Considerations Continued

In the event of an injury (concussion or other) that I deem is necessary to be followed with an appointment with the primary care physician, I will be sending with the athlete.– A copy of the initial post-concussion Sport Concussion Assessment

Tool 2 (SCAT2) – Their Concussion Vital Signs baseline and post-concussion test – Gfeller-Waller Concussion Clearance: NCHSAA Return-to-Play Form– My contact information

• My hope is that if there are any concussions or concerns on their or my behalf there will be communication directly instead of through a middle-man (the parents)

Also New This Year

• Weekly injury reports for your teams– This will keep you up-to-date if any of your

athletes are getting any sort of treatment at Champion Fitness or at the High School because I know that they don’t always let you know what is going on throughout the season.• These will be placed in your mailbox at school or given

directly to you by me or one of the Student Athletic Trainers– If you don’t receive one than that means that none of your

athletes have let me know about any injuries or issues that may be having.

End of Season Evaluations

• Just like to know how I am doing each season for your and what suggestions there are to help improve communication, coverage for your sport– Fall– Winter – Spring

Practice Schedules

• Please if you have any that you give out to your athletes during your season I would like to have a copy.– Even though I’m always at PTHS I don’t live in

town so it makes it easier for me to schedule around your schedules.

Contact Information

Head Athletic TrainerKevin W. Casey, ATC/LAT, M.S.eD.

Certified Athletic TrainerChampion Fitness Physical Therapy/Pontiac

Township High SchoolCell Phone: (309) 530-4741

Mail: kwcasey.champfit@gmail.com