Linn County Missouri has taken a proactive step in informing the athletes, parents and community about concussions. Dr. Chris Main and the athletic training staff from Midwest Bone and Joint Center of Macon, Missouri held the event at a local high school. According to the Linn County Ledger it was an informal presentation;
Simply put, a concussion is a brain injury. This injury, medically referred to sometimes as a Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, can impair your brain’s ability to function. According to the Sports Concussion Institute, 10 percent of high school athletes in contact sports suffer a concussion each season. Sports are the second leading cause of brain injury in persons aged 15-24 years, trailing behind car accidents.
Although the event is welcomed, the information given at the event may be a bit off. It is really tough to tell due to the shortened information online but, what was disseminated may be outdated;
There are three grades of concussions, according to the Cantu Evidence-Based Grading System. A Mild Concussion includes: no loss of consciousness, amnesia of less than 30 minutes, and post-concussion signs and symptoms lasting less than 24 hours. A Moderate Concussion includes: losing consciousness for less than a minute, amnesia for between 30 minutes but less than 24 hours, and post-concussion signs and symptoms for more than 24 hours but less than seven days. A Severe Concussion includes: loss of consciousness for more than one minute, amnesia for more than 24 hours, and post-concussion signs and symptoms for more than seven days.
This information has been passed up by current research and recommendations. There is no longer a grading scale for concussions and we no longer qualify a concussion with an adjective such as “mild” or “complex”. You either have a concussion or you don’t, it is that simple.
The initiative to have this seminar is wonderful, but the proper information is necessary to avoid any confusion. We need to be careful not to take two steps forward and one step back. If anyone would like help in putting on an event like this feel free to contact us. I am willing to even speak and travel if my schedule allows. Being proactive is very important as we head back into football season.
The Concussion Blog 