Concussions in High School AthletesBy: Andrew Thompson and Chelsey Toney

Basic Brain Anatomy/Functions

What is a Concussion?

According to the CDC,

- A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head that can change the way your brain normally works.

According to Anderson,

- A concussion is also a violent shaking or jarring action of the brain, resulting in immediate or transient impairment of neurologic function.

Concussions

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkLT_aZ2u5k&feature=youtu.be

Spaulding High School, Barre, VT SPORT: Football GENDER: Male AGE:15

MOI: Helmet came off when he was going to tackle someone and he hit the back of his head on the ground

SPORT: Football GENDER: Male AGE:15

MOI: hit head on ground when tackling

SPORT: Football GENDER: Male AGE:15

MOI: Hit back of his head on ground in football game.

SPORT: Field hockey GENDER: Female AGE: 16

MOI: Hit on forehead twice with field hockey ball.

SPORT: Soccer GENDER: Male AGE:14

MOI: Hit on head with soccer ball.

SPORT: Soccer GENDER: Female AGE:14

MOI: Hit on left side of head/face with cold wet soccer ball.

SPORT: Soccer GENDER: Female AGE:14

MOI: Hit on head with soccer ball.

RESEARCH• GENDER: 2013 National Statistics

• RATE: 400,000 concussions

• RETURNING TO PLAY EARLY: National Statistics in 2013 showed that 15.8% of football players who sustained a concussion returned to play the same day.

• UNREPORTED: A 2011 study of U.S. high schools, with at least one athletic trainer on staff, found that concussions accounted for nearly 15% of all sports related injuries reported to athletic trainers. This is a large number and many go unreported.

• HIGHER RISKS

RTP following a Concussive Injury

STEP 1

- Aerobic conditioning

OBJECTIVE: Increase HR

- Walking

- Swimming

- Stationary cycling

RTP following a Concussive Injury

STEP 2

- Sports specific drills

OBJECTIVE: Add movement

- Running drills in soccer, field hockey, and football

- Jumping Jacks

- Push-ups

RTP following a Concussive Injury

STEP 3- Non-contact training drills

OBJECTIVE: Exercise, coordination and cognitive load- More complex training drills - Passing in soccer- Running specific pattern plays- Ball handling drills for field hockey- Ladder drills- Push-ups

RTP following a Concussive Injury

STEP 4

- Full contact practice

OBJECTIVE: Restore confidence and assess functional skills by coaching staff

- ONLY after medical clearance

RTP following a Concussive Injury

STEP 5

- Full clearance for return to play

RTP protocol

• Available online

• Includes classroom RTP and activity RTP

• Spaulding uses Fletcher Allen's RTP protocol

• U32 and Harwood do not list a specific RTP

- referred to a general toolkit

Prevention

- Education

- Everyone involved with the athlete

- Proper technique

- Proper Equipment

- Keeping up to date with policies

Equipment

- Headbands in Soccer

- Helmets in Football

- Following rules and playing with proper technique

Works Cited

Anderson, M., Parr, G., and Hall. Foundations of Athletic Training Prevention, Assessment, and Management. Baltimore, Maryland: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins; 2009.

Avila, J. and Marshal, S. Riddell Unveils Overhauled New Football Helmet SpeedFlex. Abc News website. www.abcnews.go.com. Published August 27, 2014. Accessed November 15, 2014.

Concussion rates doubles among high school athletes. WebMD Web site. http://webmd.com/brain/news/20140515/concussion-rates-double among-highschoolathletes-report. Published May 15, 2014. Accessed October 20, 2014.

Esquivel A., Haque, S., Keating, P., Marsh, S., and Lemos, S. Concussion management, education, and return-to-play policies in high schools: a survey of athletic directors, athletic trainers, and coaches. Sports Health. 2013; 5(3): 258-262.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3658403/

Gessel, L., Fields, S., Collins, C., Dick, R., and Comstock, R. Concussions among united states high school and collegiate athletes. Journal of Athletic Training. 2007; 42(4): 495-503. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2140075/

High school football players face bigger concussion risk. Public Broadcasting Service Web site.http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sports/league-of denial/highschool-footballplayers-face-bigger-concussion-risk/Published October 31, 2013. Accessed October 20, 2014.

Injury Prevention & Control: Traumatic Brain Injury. CDC Web site. http://www.cdc.gov/concussion. Published May 29, 2014. Accessed November 10, 2014.

Kurowski, B., Pomerantz, W., Schaiper, C., and Gittelman, M. Factors that influence concussion knowledge and self reported attitudes in high school athletes. NIH Public Access Author Manuscripts. 2014; 77(301): S12-S17. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4167709/

Levulis, J. Is Increasing Concussion Awareness Changing the Game of Soccer? WAMC webpage. wamc.org/post/increasing-concussion-awareness-changing-game-soccer. Published September 4, 2014. Accessed November 16, 2014.

Maloney, J., Nield, L., and Lively, M. Can Headgear Halt Soccer Concussions? Pediatrics Consultant website. www.pediatricsconsultant360.com. Published July 24, 2013. Accessed November 15, 2014.

Statistics on youth sports safety. Cleared to play Web site.http://www.clearedtoplay.org/concussion-information/concussions-by the-numbers Published 2013. Accessed October 20, 2014.

Vermont’s Student Athletes and Concussion Return to Learn and Return to Play Toolkit. www.biavt.org. Published 2010. Accessed November 16, 2014.