The Concussion Blog

Full disclosure here; I attended and graduated with my masters degree from Colorado State University in Fort Collins.  Going to that school things, just became part of your life, for example, awesome sunsets, crazy weather, and an unfiltered hatred of the University of Wyoming and the Cowboys.  That being said, it is hard to “hate” anyone and it is hard to “hate” another school when they really don’t pose a threat to you especially in football, BRONZE BOOT!

Now that I am done taking a cheap shot at UW, the state itself is BEAUTIFUL and has GREAT people, including its state legislature.

The story of Zackery Lystedt told state senator Bill Landen it was time for Wyoming to place a greater emphasis on concussion awareness…

Now, Landen is the main sponsor of school athletics safety bill that will also set guidelines for Wyoming junior and high school student-athletes who suffer concussions during athletic events.

Yup that is right, Wyoming is getting into the act by proposing a bill for concussion guidelines.  The bill is outlined as this article presents;

The primary purpose of the bill, Landen said, is provide and require education for all those involved with high school athletics: coaches, athletes, parents and administrators.

Much like the Washington law – which is considered one of the strictest in the country regarding return-to-play policies – the proposed Wyoming bill would require a student-athlete who suffered a concussion to receive clearance from a licensed health care professional before resuming participation.

It would also require the school districts to work with the state Department of Education to establish protocols and training for an “athletic coach or trainer” to recognize concussion and head injury symptoms, signs and behaviors.

Wyoming is in a very unique position in terms of school sizes and just being spread out over great distances, causing issues with general medical care as it is.

But it could go a long way in helping the state’s smaller schools and school districts with education and awareness.

“As far as a lot the other schools in Wyoming … I think it’s great in the sense that it’s going to [create] awareness,” said certified athletic trainer Frank Martin, who has worked for the Natrona County School District for the past 27 years.

Wyoming is unique in respect to the diversity of its school districts – not only in size, but also in distance. Many schools don’t have daily access to a certified athletic trainer and some schools only have access to physician’s assistants or nurse practitioners as a licensed health care professional.

“Geographically, being [in] Wyoming, we’re not hicks,” Martin said. “But we’ve got rural people and sometimes you’ve got [physician’s assistants], you’ve got nurse practitioners, you’ve got other people making those decisions.

“I don’t have a problem accepting release forms from a physician if they’ve got some education in it.”

That last sentence is the biggest key, even in larger cities and areas of all states doctors DO NOT have the proper education for dealing with concussions.  There are a lot of docs that are completely behind in research and management techniques.  The only way to stop the insanity of kids being released to soon is to mandate education, of not only doctors but everyone involved, including athletic trainers.  All must be on the same page so that there is less confusion and less error, which in turn, in my opinion, will lead to better outcomes of this injury.