Rehabilitation

EIM Concussion Management: Half Way

Dustin Fink9 Comments

Sure, this is the fifth post of 2016 – and its July – however there is a good reason for it. I continue to be an on the field athletic trainer, I continue to educate on concussion, I continue to be active on Twitter but more importantly I am concentrating more on being a father and husband. Blogging ain’t easy, folks; let’s be honest the coverage of concussion has blossomed well since 2009 when this blog started.

All of that being said, I am also in the process of gaining further education in concussion. This is not your typical education about the injury but right were my mantra for the past six years has been:

The injury of concussion is not the true problem; it is the mismanagement of this brain injury that is the real issue.

As noted in March I began the Evidence in Motion Concussion Management Course. This is a 34 week program that was designed to bring collaboration and current information to those that can impact the real problem of this injury, the clinicians.

We have arrived at the half way point in the program, marked by the weekend intensive course – which met in Chicago this past weekend. Many have wanted to know has it been worth it. The answer is unequivocally, YES.

Before I get to the hands on of the weekend let me recap the first half of the program. One word cannot do it justice but in our search for snippets of information and quick reaction, that one word could be “trailblazing”.

Previously I wrote about how the program was basically going in terms of mechanics and what we were doing at the time. Since then I have read more research (current), discussed, and most importantly learned how to better help those that have been concussed.

We finished the Therapeutic Neuroscience Education and moved into the specifics of the concussion and its management. We spent a week on each of the following parts of the concussion continuum:

  • Emergency Department – evolution and how they view the injury
  • Orthopedics – how concussion relates to bones and muscles (neck)
  • Vestibular Rehab – not only the vestib system but really focusing on the eyes
  • Adult/Migraines – a previously unthought of link/predisposition for concussion
  • Vision Rehab – what I feel will be the next area of focus for recovery from concussion
  • Neuropsych/Return to Learn – how we all fit together in these areas as clinicians
  • Speech Language Pathology – unknown to me how these professionals can and will help

Those seven weeks, plus the last week of summary were probably the most challenging Continue reading →

#pinkTBI Summit 2016: A recap

Dustin Fink4 Comments

pinktbiThe meeting at Georgetown University this past weekend was more than fruitful for this athletic trainer. I went in trying to get two things done: one, provide info to you the follower as best as possible and move along the discussion on female concussion and two, to learn something that is applicable to me as a “boot on the ground” athletic trainer.

The first was probably painfully obvious that I accomplished if you follow on Twitter and didn’t mute me and were not interested in this event (you should have been interested). The second objective I did meet by learning some techniques when working with females, not only at incident but with recovery, education and overall attitude.

Certainly I could write 4000 words on this event but that would be boring to you and I am still recovering from the weekend the the docs there asked that I “rest” my fingers. That being said I will give quick synopsis’s of each speaker, info that I took away as an athletic trainer and advocate for education about mTBI/concussion. It is entirely possible that I misrepresented some thoughts and missed some very valuable info for some out there; don’t worry speakers and audience this was done the best possible.

Lets begin, and this will be in chronological order of the event with presenters last name, in bullet form. My hope is that you will use this as furthering your info about the female sequale and in some cases change how you treat.

  • Kerr:
    • The concussion rate is higher in females in males in college and high school sports, particularly in basketball, soccer, and softball/baseball.
    • Research suggests differences in symptoms reported as well as RTP.
    • More research needed at the youth level.
  • Covassin:
    • Showed that neck strength is a confounding effect on possible injury.
    • MOI is different in the sexes: males contact with player while female is contact with ground/equipment.
  • Lincoln:
    • Exposed us to the lacrosse injury and problems that exist, which is important because this is an emerging sport.
    • No head gear in woman’s lacrosse.
  • Casswell:
    • Impact sensors and injury and how it may relate to injury.
    • Different types of injury for females vs. males (building on Covassin).
  • Colantonio:
    • Logitudial study showed about 24% of female pop has had mTBI.
    • Females seek and get less care overall.
    • Reproductive impact after a mTBI need to be understood.
  • Gioa:
    • Static and dynamic symptoms are different in female vs. males – needs research.
    • Academic performance shows no difference between sexes.  Continue reading →

Call for Abstracts: National Summit on Female Concussion, TBI and Headache

Dustin Fink4 Comments

pink concIf there has ever been a tenacious and relentless person in the concussion space my observation is that it is this one person. Not a researcher, not a physician, not a policy maker…  A mom… Her name Katherine Snedaker.

She has been mentioned many times (Pink Concussions) here and has been a commentor on this blog as well, but what Katherine is pulling off this coming February is nothing short of monumental for the concussion space.

On Saturday February 27th she will be presenting the National Summit on Female Concussion, TBI and Headache, at the Georgetown School of Medicine.

Part of the program will include presentations of abstracts, which they are currently calling for. The Program Committee is accepting abstracts for presentation on “Sex/Gender-based Concussion Research” on concussion, TBI and headache from the areas such as:

  • Pediatrics to Geriatrics: Concussions and other TBIs across the female life cycle
  • Sports and Sports Medicine – Youth, High School, College, Olympics
  • Domestic Violence and Shaken Baby Syndrome
  • Military Service

As you probably can imagine these areas are so under-researched, mainly because head injuries are often associated with sport and male type activities. However, women are part of this issue to – a huge part. Females are also very different than males in many ways but we have recently have come to know that their response to head injury/concussion is not the same as males.

There will be more to follow on this summit – consider this post as a save the date – “ATs are one of our target groups we want,” Katherine said in an emial.

This post is directly aimed at the researchers in the community that want to share their info at this very important and unique event. Please spread the word about this to anyone you know that would be interested.

From the Call for Abstracts link at Pink Concussions:

Click the brain below to upload your abstract in a PDF form.

  • Abstracts submission portal closes 1/5/16 at 11.00pm EST Abstract acceptance letters will be sent 1/15/2016
  • Abstracts must include: Title, Authors, Affiliations, Background, Objective, Methods, Results, Conclusion plus 2 tables or graphs may be included
  • Abstract character count, excluding spaces and the words “Background, Objective, Methods, Results, Conclusion” is 350 words
  • Only reports of original research may be submitted
  • The data may have been published in a manuscript or e-publication

Address questions to either the Scientific Chair, Dr. Dave Milzman at milzmand@georgetown.edu or Executive DirectorKatherine Snedaker, LMSW at Katherine@PINKconcussions.com

You can also access the submission form HERE.

It is my pleasure to promote this event for someone that I call a friend and someone that has battled more than just stereotypes to bring awareness and education.

Time to Heal: Tracy Yatsko’s Story (3/22/11)

noodle11 Comments

Last June, I had the pleasure of speaking at a press conference at Lincoln Financial Field in support of Pennsylvania State Representative Tim Briggs’ proposed concussion management legislation.  I was an eighteen-year old who had been researching concussions in sports for nearly ten months at that point—a task that I engaged in to further educate myself and others on the subject at hand; a project that would essentially close many doors in my past that had been left open for too long.  But as I situated myself beside the podium at this press conference, I had no idea what kind of story the young woman sitting to my left had to say.  Of course, throughout my research, I understood that others have been through worse—much worse—than what I had experienced, but never did I think I would meet someone I could relate to.  It was even more than just relating to, for this individual shared a heartbreaking story to the public.  She was at the press conference for the same reason as myself, and that was to promote the need for concussion legislation in our state, but she did more than that.  Her words were more than the cover to a bill.  Her words were the voice of the sports concussion crisis.

Today, Tracy Yatsko, a twenty-three-year old woman from Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, is still fighting the repercussions of an injury that ended her high school athletic career.  Six years removed from the moment of her last concussion, Yatsko represents the qualities of strength and motivation, for her battle has not been one that has been easy.  Sure, I have heard of stories in which athletes have sustained decisively fatal blows to the head.  But when I talk to this woman, and when I think about her story, the only words that I can describe how I have perceived her story is hell on earth.  Why did this situation in which Yatsko found herself within come to be?

2005 was a year, with regards to concussion awareness, that was still present in the sports’ ‘Era of Good Feelings.’  There was not much to worry about, and though there were stories creeping out of the media regarding concussions in football, there was not much of a worry in other athletic activities.  There really wasn’t much consideration as to what a concussion was.  It was merely an injury that was ignorantly summarized as a headache; a distraction; a joke.  And with such stigma comes tides of the familiar phrase that claims pain to be weakness leaving the body.  Only did we, or rather, do we, come to open our eyes to what a concussion is until the moment of a tragedy personally affects ourselves or those who we consider to be close to us. Continue reading →

#tbt: Eye Opener from 2012: Was it overlooked?

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Originally titled “Bombshell Found in Sports Illustrated Vault” this post appeared on July 4, 2012…  To this day, it may be one of the most poignant articles I have written about the road we have been down.  I believe that this post still rings true, two years later, in regards to all the information we knew that we didn’t know…  

Considering where – 2014 – and what has transpired – League of Denial – this article may have been glossed over and was WAY AHEAD OF ITS TIME from SI.  I often find myself wondering why we are not learning from the past to make proactive measures going forward…

Enjoy the read from the past (excellent RT @protectthebrain);

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Thanks to @ConcernedMom9 I was sent an article from Sports Illustrated written by Michael Farber.  Before I tell you the year and provide the link I want so share some quotes from it;

“People are missing the boat on brain injuries,” says Dr. James P. Kelly, director of the brain-injury program at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago and an assistant professor of neurology at Northwestern University Medical School. “It isn’t just cataclysmic injury or death from brain injuries that should concern people. The core of the person can change from repeated blows to the head.

“I get furious every time I watch a game and hear the announcers say, ‘Wow, he really got his bell rung on that play.’ It’s almost like, ‘Yuk, yuk, yuk,’ as if they’re joking. Concussions are no joke.”

That sounds very similar to what we are discussing now in 2012.

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•Of the 1.5 million high school football players in the U.S., 250,000 suffer a concussion in any given season, according to a survey conducted for The American Journal of Public Health.

•A player who has already suffered a concussion is four times more likely to get one than a player who has been concussion-free. Quarterbacks, running backs, receivers and defensive backs are most vulnerable, […] that special teams players were at the highest risk per minute spent on the field.

•Concussions are underreported at all levels of football. This is partly because of the subtlety of a mild concussion (unless a player is as woozy as a wino, the injury might go undetected by a busy trainer or coach) but primarily because players have bought into football’s rub-dirt-on-it ethos. “If we get knocked in the head, it’s embarrassing to come to the sideline and say, ‘Hey, my head’s feeling funny,’ ” says San Francisco 49er quarterback Steve Young, who has suffered at least a half dozen concussions. “So I’m sure we’re denying it.”

•Football’s guidelines for players returning after concussions are sometimes more lenient than boxing’s. The New Jersey Boxing Commission requires a fighter who is knocked out to wait 60 days and submit to an electroencephalogram (EEG) before being allowed back into the ring.

•According to Ken Kutner, a New Jersey neuropsychologist, postconcussion syndrome is far more widespread than the NFL or even those suffering from the syndrome would lead us to believe. […] Kutner says that the players fear that admitting to postconcussion syndrome might cost them a job after retirement from football.

Hmmm, we all thought this was information new to us – new being 2008.

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That, however, doesn’t console Lawrence and Irene Guitterez of Monte Vista, Colo. “He just thought it was something trivial,” Irene says of her son, Adrian, who was a running back on the Monte Vista High team three years ago. “He had a headache and was sore, but it seemed like cold symptoms. He wasn’t one to complain. He wouldn’t say anything to anybody. He wanted to play in the Alamosa game.”

He did play. At halftime Guitterez, who had suffered a concussion in a game two weeks before and had not yet shaken the symptoms, begged teammates not to tell the coaches how woozy he felt. When he was tackled early in the third quarter, he got up disoriented and then collapsed. Five days later he died.

Years later another Colorado high school football player, Jake Snakenberg, would unfortunately repeat history; leading to the concussion legislation passed in that state.

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Do you have a guess on the year… Continue reading →

Back to Basics: Current Concussion Management

Dustin Fink1 Comment

What follows below are recommendations that have been on this blog for many years.  I came up with them when it started in 2010 and not much has happened to change what was written.  In fact, more and more these ideas have been accepted, showing that it was ahead of its time in 2010.

AS ALWAYS: PLEASE CONSULT A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL FOR A CONCUSSION, USING THIS BLOG ALONE FOR TREATMENT OF A BRAIN INJURY IS NOT RECOMMENDED.

We can discuss rehabilitation from a concussion at a later time, but the theory of this being a spontaneous and passive recovery for a vast majority of incidences continues.  It has been my experience that the “less is more approach” is best with concussions, initially.  Being, that after injury the less you do to stimulate the brain and rattle the brain the better and faster the outcomes will be.  When the injury lingers on beyond 10-14 days (usually due to too much activity in the initial phases) that is where rehab and a more dynamic approach to recovery is needed.

Please enjoy and remember that back in 2010 this was not mainstream nor widely accepted.  I hope that four years later this is commonplace.

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Sport-Related Concussion, Don and Flo Brady (NASP Communique)

INITIAL STEPS

After an initial concussion the individual should subscribe to REST, not just physical rest, but COMPLETE and UTTER rest.

  • NO TV
  • NO Texting
  • NO Computers
  • NO Radio
  • NO Bright Lights
  • NO Loud Noises
  • NO Reading

COMPLETE brain rest, in other words, SLEEP!  This should be adhered to for at least 24 hours or when the medical professional that you seek (and you should) tells you otherwise.

SCHOOL AGED INDIVIDUALS

Rest should be continued until all signs and symptoms have resolved.  Rest in this demographic should Continue reading →

Nick Mercer: Recovery is in the Eye of the Beholder

Nick Mercer5 Comments

For those new to the blog, Nick Mercer is our only “staff” writer here at The Concussion Blog.  He provides a great layman’s perspective; one from a person recovering from a traumatic brain injury.  If you want to know why he does this – for us and himself – you can read THIS POST.  Thanks Nick for your time and content!

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In recent years, my “recovery” (more on why that word is in quotes later) seems to have gained steam and I’ve noticed more improvement, even though the accident that caused my brain injury occurred over ten years ago. I’m sure there are many physiological and neurological reasons why improvements would take this long, then again, maybe I haven’t improved that much neurologically or physiologically, maybe I just feel better in general and in my attitude toward “recovery”.

For the first nine or so years, I was focusing on trying to fix problems – I wasn’t able to do this or that, I was tired, my vision was messed up – problems that no matter how much I tried to fix, I could always improve upon, so I was reaching for a goal that couldn’t be touched. That kept me going, kept me striving. It also put me in a permanent state of dissatisfaction. There were times, of course, when I was depressed, but there were also times when I was happy. Happy, but dissatisfied.

All the while, I was pushing myself physically, in the pool, the gym, walking to and from work. I was also pushing myself mentally, through work, and through reading a lot, especially non-fiction books. My sister had told me for years that I should try Pilates, that she thought it would be good for me. I always had some excuse Continue reading →

Just keep at it

Nick Mercer1 Comment

Eleven years ago my balance and mobility were better than good. My health was better than good. Ten years and seven months ago, I was a long way away from feeling anything remotely close to good about my balance and my mobility, or about my health at all. That was a drastic turn, and it sucked, but it happened. I can’t pretend it didn’t. Well, I could pretend, but what good would that do?

Since most people’s introduction and familiarity with rehabilitation is through movies and TV, it’s important to reiterate that it’s a gradual process. It doesn’t just happen one day that everything clicks and all of a sudden life’s back to normal. Hard work is also not the secret. It’s essential for improvement, especially continuous improvement, but it doesn’t guarantee it. It happened for me. I’ve worked hard and I’ve improved, but by no means am I back to normal. It certainly doesn’t mean that someone, whose condition doesn’t improve, didn’t work hard. I know of countless examples. Movies and TV have to fit a story into an allotted time. If a book is too long nobody will read it. So, most of what people know about rehabilitation is a very Continue reading →

Where is Tech Going With Concussions

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Technology is ever-expanding in all areas of our life; in my short time we have gone from land line phones and massive desktop computers that could play “Lemonade Stand” to handheld personal computers that is also a phone.  The point being that technology is amazing.  In the previous post we discussed how MRI now can actually see damage to the white matter in the brain after concussion.  Until that information was presented the changes in the brain were only theorized about.

Yes, it is true that we are trying to find an objective measure, but people need to understand that this objective measure is not necessarily needed to find the concussion.  An athletic trainer with their years of education and experience are pretty dang good at finding concussions; with or without the help of “tools.”  The need for objective measures is for the TRUE PROBLEM of the “concussion crisis”; the mismanagement of the injury – mainly returning too early.

Conrad Wilson wrote up a good article on technology that is emerging, focusing on balance Continue reading →

Research That Should Stop You In Your Tracks

Dustin Fink4 Comments

OK, that title may be hyperbole, but the new research out of Canada should make you take a step back and realize what our fine researchers are now able to discover.  Considering the context of hockey it shouldn’t be shocking that this was found in Canada (since posting we have been informed that work was done on both sides of the border), but really for a long while now some of the best work on concussions is coming from the North, for whatever reason (no disrespect to the US scientists).

Now that I effectively pissed off a few readers with the last comment, here is what was found by Dr. Paul Echlin and team:

  • concussions alter the white matter of the brain
  • structural damage can now be seen
  • MRI was used
  • this is both males and females
  • brain vascular changes were noted in males only, but resolved at two months
  • comparison with control counterparts showed that concussed individuals had white mater changes at end of season (upon being fully resolved from injury)

From the CTV News article (video at jump);  Continue reading →

#C4CT Concussion Summit 2014

Dustin Fink2 Comments

In a little over three weeks, Brewer Sports International (BSI) along with #C4CT (Coalition for Concussion Treatment) founding partner Amarantus BioScience will be hosting their 2nd Concussion Summit in New York, at the United Nations.  There have been many press releases on this event, and I have mentioned it a time or two on Twitter (and will continue).

Sure, there are many “summits” around concussions and head trauma – which is great as it keeps the dialog going – but few are populated by people with ideas on going forward.  Often, we find ourselves sitting, listening to bright people talk about what was done and can’t be done; rarely do we find the same bright people addressing the issues going forward.  Whether that be with tactical changes or with management or even the possibility of intervention with traumatic brain injury.

This edition of the #C4CT Summit on January 29, 2014 will hear from some people in many fields – you can see the current line-up HERE – focusing on the burgeoning topics of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), general neuroscience, pharmacology among other topics.

Interestingly enough, yours truly, was invited to sit on a panel and discuss how all of this information has been translated to the high school level – as an athletic trainer.  I was not only surprised by the invitation but feel it is VERY OPPORTUNISTIC for a “boot on the ground” athletic trainer to provide input.  I feel that not only have athletic trainers seemed to be seen and not heard, the vast majority of us practice in the high school setting, where the adolescents are playing sports.  I can assure you I will do my very best to be a quality representative of not only athletic training (it appears I am on the only AT in a speaking role) but those of us working with the most kids/athletes.

Anyhow the cast of speakers/presenters is indeed “star-studded” and even has some opposing view points on where we should be headed; which should make for some quality discussion.  If I can get my technology working and to NYC I will attempt to live blog/tweet the event for those that cannot make it.

Speaking of that, I know that time is short but I encourage anyone who is going to be in NYC during Super Bowl Week try to attend this event.  If there are scribes out there I am sure the wonderful support staff at BSI can arrange for you to cover and meet the star of the show – me, of course – hahahahaha, I kid.  Seriously, you can register HERE and if you have questions feel free to contact them.

I hope to see you all there!

Next Level… In Concussion Care

Dustin Fink13 Comments

As an athletic trainer – an opinionated one at that – I struggle with all the “bells-and-whistles” in this conundrum that is the concussion issue.  If you have visited here or heard me speak you undoubtedly know that mismanagement of concussions is the true issue of this complex paradigm.  Yes, we need to know when a concussion occurs to begin the process in the right direction; however, this can be accomplished by simply making sure you have a trained medical professional on hand when the need arises.  Getting an athletic trainer to cover the most at risk sports at the most at risk times is a great start (and in the authors opinion is the only choice if you want to have collision sports).  Short of that, education over-education is necessary for everyone: players, coaches, parents, officials, teacher etc. to properly identify and accept the nature of concussion in sport – it is a risk.

Even having an allied medical professional, like an athletic trainer (AT) at practices and games does not stop the injury from occurring.  In fact, many products that may claim reduction in concussions or “possible concussions” are toying with fraud; at the very least they are practicing deceptive marketing.  The point being, once we identify a concussion how do we and who do we send the injury to, to avoid the rest of the iceberg lurking under the surface of the water?  Moreover, what tools do we have that can help get the right prognosis, treatment and recovery for the injured (and there are many out there)?

I feel there is a new product (I am not a paid endorser, nor have I been given compensation for this article/opinion) now hitting the market that may get us closer to the panacea that we are all hoping for (note I said “closer”).  Although it may have been presented as some big secret; the C3 Logix: Comprehensive Concussion Care system is not a secret rather it is something I feel is a “game changer” for concussion care.  It is Continue reading →

Downplaying brain injury is not the way to attack this

Dustin Fink15 Comments

Concussions have gained so much attention that the news is almost inundated with story-after-story of occurrences, recovery, litigation and people trying to mitigate the injury.  There seems to be a shortage of press clipping and stories on how to handle this injury.  More often I have witnessed stories downplaying the injury or the oft cited “Heads Up Football“.

The former, downplaying the injury itself, is not a good thing it is exactly what put us in the spot we are in now.  Patrick Hruby also took note of this while reading an article from Andrew Wagaman in the Missourian;

Still, when it comes to the single most head-scratching public statement I’ve seen regarding brain trauma and football, University of Missouri neuropsychologist Thomas Martin takes the pole position. Hands-down. In a piece about youth football and cognitive risks published this week in the Columbia Missourian, Martin compares brain damage to … knee injuries[…]

This blew my mind. I had to read it twice. And then a half-dozen more times. It still blows my mind as I’m typing this. Here’s why people react differently to brain and knee injuries, and why football is in a world of potential trouble: because the potential harm resulting from a brain injury is nothing like that resulting from a knee injury.

If you read Hruby’s article you will see he makes a strong case for this analogy being utterly false; Continue reading →

Mayo Clinic Looking into Autonomic Response to Concussion

Dustin Fink9 Comments

Neurologists at Mayo Clinic in Arizona have taken a promising step toward identifying a test that helps support the diagnosis of concussion. Their research has shown that autonomic reflex testing, which measures involuntary changes in heart rate and blood pressure, consistently appear to demonstrate significant changes in those with concussion.

Appearing on their website, the information researchers are delving into is a new angle on  concussions.  It is widely known that traumatic brain injured (TBI) patients have autonomic system (ANS) deficits/abnormalities.  However the group from Arizona thought an investigation into concussed patients was worth the effort.  Low and behold their findings are a promising first step in possible assessment and management of the concussion.

One interesting note, was this notion on dizziness;

“Contrary to popular belief, the symptoms of ‘dizziness’ that patients feel just after a concussion may, in some cases, be symptoms of autonomic system impairment rather than a vestibular or inner ear disturbance,” says Bert Vargas, M.D., a Mayo neurologist.

No one is telling you to take blood pressures with assessment (ergo baselines), yet, but with this information could come not only objective testing but biomarkers associated with ANS changes;

“This study shows a possible electrophysiological biomarker that indicates that a concussion has occurred — we are hopeful that with more research this will be confirmed and that this may also be a biomarker for recovery,” he says.

Concussion Conglomeration “Road Marker” (UPDATED FREE ARTICLE LINK)

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A paramount review of concussions and their “long-term” effects has been published (or soon will) in Nature Reviews Neurology that I certainly hope does not slip past the masses.  Not only is the information somewhat of a “where we stand”-moment of clarity, it is authored by a very underrated and proficient researcher; Dr. Barry D. Jordan.

Jordan, B. D. Nat. Rev. Neurol. advance online publication 12 March 2013; doi:10.1038/nrneurol.2013.33 (note you need a log in).  Here is the FREE DOWNLOAD LINK

Acute and chronic sports-related traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are a substantial public health concern. Various types of acute TBI can occur in sport, but detection and management of cerebral concussion is of greatest importance as mismanagement of this syndrome can lead to persistent or chronic postconcussion syndrome (CPCS) or diffuse cerebral swelling. Chronic TBI encompasses a spectrum of disorders that are associated with long-term consequences of brain injury, including chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), dementia pugilistica, post-traumatic parkinsonism, post-traumatic dementia and CPCS.

Dr. Jordan also discussed CTE in further detail including the limitations of possible antemortem detection; including imaging and categorization.

In this Review, the spectrum of acute and chronic sport-related TBI is discussed, highlighting how examination of athletes involved in high-impact sports has advanced our understanding of pathology of brain injury and enabled improvements in detection and diagnosis of sport-related TBI.

The overriding theme I gathered from this review article is one that I have been hammering home for a very long time: the mismanagement of the original sequale may be the largest factor in discussion the multiple faces of “chronic TBI” that result from concussion.  This paper is also very succinct in demonstrating the massive amount of work that still needs to be done.

I urge you to find a copy or pay for a subscription for this article, it should be one that we look back on in 5 years as the “where have we come from” moment in this issue, regarding chronic issues from sports related concussion.

Nick Mercer: Finding yourself after a brain injury, first step – Recon

Nick Mercer3 Comments

As has been said countless times in countless articles about brain injury, “every brain injury is different”. I don’t know and don’t care to know how many times I’ve heard or read it. That phrase is used primarily for the benefit the general public to explain or define a lasting injury about which little is known. Although geared towards people who have – seemingly – little or no experience with brain injury, the statement should still be understood as fully as possible by those of use who have such experience.

In 2003, until making a hard and fast right turn on my bike on a hill in Victoria, BC, I had every intention of completing my upcoming 8 month MPA work term with the Auditor General in Ottawa, and while there, continuing to ride my bike and join a local water polo club. When I finished my MPA I would work somewhere for a few years, then, hopefully, pursue a PhD.  The next morning, all that changed. Two weeks later, when I woke from my coma, I was a different person. Not completely different – I was lucky – but different enough that I had to change my plans for my future.

My focus wouldn’t be on finding an apartment in Ottawa or impressing my Continue reading →

Zurich 2012 In Writing

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If you all recall I went to Zurich in November to attend the “Concussion Conference”; mainly as an observer, but there was enough time and opportunity to impart my questions/knowledge as a practicing athletic trainer.  Here are the links to DAY 1 and DAY 2 of my live blogging.  By the way, the live blogging was WELL received and continues to provide great insight into what went on.  I hope that I am asked back for the next conference, or any other conference that wouldn’t mind my attendance.

Now the information gathered at the conference has been hashed and rehashed and now appears as the 4th Consensus Statement (tweeted previously).

As part of the initiative the Standardized Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT) was looked at and changes were made to the 2nd version from 2008.  You can now find the new version by clicking SCAT3.

A new wrinkle was an assessment tool for the younger ages, the group decided on the “Child” version of the new SCAT3, that can also be found by clicking Child SCAT3.

Also included in the addendum of the Consensus Statement was a recognition pocket card, found by clicking Recognition Pocket Card.

All of the above is free and intended to be used as a resource for better concussion assessment and even early management of concussion.  Please read the Statement regarding best practices.  As always this blog is NEVER to be used to diagnose or treat a concussion.  There is a lot to be absorbed and read; one thing is for sure we as athletic trainers and concerned/educated individuals now have the most recent information at our fingertips.  I guess this blog is actually doing some good work 🙂  A side note; how about this appearing during National Athletic Trainers Month?  It might be a coincidence, but I find it serendipitous.

Latest Research on Concussions; Rather No Concussions = Changes

Dustin Fink23 Comments

Certainly the research is flying in; mostly the investigations are now looking at either ways to detect the injury or objective ways to determine recovery.  There are a bunch of other designs and angles out there but the most important are the above.  Although it would be great if we had an objective way of determining concussion, it is really not the pressing issue (with solid education and conservative approach to injury – sit them out).

As I have stated over and over, the BIGGEST issue we face with concussions is the mismanagement of concussion from the beginning; therefore the need to identify when it is safe to return is more paramount in my opinion.

The newest research is out from the Cleveland Clinic, it looked at 67 college football players, more specifically it looked at their blood, report from WKYC;

In a study of 67 college football players, researchers found that the more hits to the head a player absorbed, the higher the levels of a particular brain protein that’s known to leak into the bloodstream after a head injury.

Even though none of the football players in the study suffered a concussion during the season, four of them showed signs of an autoimmune response that has been associated with brain disorders.

There we go again, telling and showing people that the hits that don’t elicit a concussive response are also a culprit in the brain injury crisis we are facing.  Coaches, particularly in soccer and football, will tell us that we are wrong and that it is either unproven or not a possibility because of how “safe” they practice or the equipment they have.

Back to the research, the group looked for the S100B protein that should only be in the brain;

Typically, S100B is found only in the brain; finding S100B in the blood indicates damage to the blood-brain barrier. While the exact function of S100B is not known, it is used in many countries to diagnose mild traumatic brain injury when other typical signs or symptoms are absent.

Studies in Janigro’s lab revealed that once in the bloodstream, S100B is seen by the immune system as a foreign invader, triggering an autoimmune response that releases auto-antibodies against S100B. Those antibodies then seep back into the brain through the damaged blood-brain barrier, attacking brain tissue and leading to long-term brain damage.

They also did some PET scans to Continue reading →

Matt Chaney – Tireless Worker

Dustin Fink9 Comments

SpringGame1984Sideline
If you have been around enough you have seen the stylings of Matt Chaney on this blog, he is someone I call a friend.  In some circles that discounts me as a professional, which is both stupid and dumb.  I don’t always agree with Matt, heck him and I have been known to battle via electronic and phone communications.  However, his opinion is a valuable one – often his work is based in so much fact it makes your head spin as to why some of its missed.  Regardless, Matt has published two recent articles on his blog, for all to consume, here are some excerpts.

Part 1, published January 7th;

Historic football excuses thrive in modern debate over brutality

Lawsuits, criticism explode and officials project blame onto individuals

Old talking points of football apology resonate yet as officials tout anti-concussion measures like trainers along sidelines, new rules for safer play, injury reduction and expert consultation—same type of promises heard from gridiron leaders during the Victorian Era

American football gets lambasted in public for maiming and killing, denounced by an influential movement of critics, and game officials pledge safer play based on their new concepts of prevention, including:

*Qualified trainers and doctors will patrol sidelines.

*State-of-art medical response will treat the rare severe casualties.

*Limits will govern length of practices.

*Injury tracking will cut rates already on decline.

*Coaches will properly train players.

*Every player will undergo medical prescreening.

*Experts will lead safety reform in rulemaking and research.

*Referees and coaches will enforce new rules of experts.

*Players will follow new rules of experts.

Sounds familiar, these steps, a practical recitation of talking points for contemporary “safer football” promoted by the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell, in face of lawsuit frenzy against the league and sport in general, along with festering disgust in the public.

Except the football rhetoric is 119 years old, from 1894, a packaged response during the game’s initial siege against formidable opposition seeking abolishment. Continue reading →

Coach & AD Magazine Cover Story

Dustin FinkLeave a comment

cover picIn January’s edition of Coach and Athletic Director Editor-in-Chief, Michael Austin wrote the cover story on concussions; titled “What you’re missing when it comes to brain injuries”.  A very well researched and written article on concussion issues at the high school level.  Austin looked at the changing protocols, safety issues and legal concerns that will be facing the sports of our community schools now and in the future.  Here are some excerpts;

This isn’t just a football problem.  Media coverage focuses on the gridiron, but any time a player’s head is placed in harm’s way, a brain injury is a potential result.  “From what I see, football leads the pack by far but we’re also seeing more girls and boys soccer players sustaining concussions,” says Dr. Michael C. Koester, MD, ATC, who is the director of the Slocum Sports Concussion Program within the Slocum Center for Orthopedics and Sports Medicine in Eugene, Ore. “Interestingly this year, and this could just be a statistical blip, but it’s worth noting we are seeing more girls volleyball players as well.”

That comment struck me as in the fall I saw more junior high school volleyball concussion (5) than high school football concussions (4), I have no idea what that means.

In the area of classification, Austin does a good job of trying to put ‘mild’ to rest with concussions;

Dr. Gerard Gioia, the director of the Pediatric Neuropsychology Program at Children’s National Medical Center and the director of the hospital’s Safe Concussion Outcome, Recovery & Education (SCORE) Program, says the medical community has “dropped the grading system” when it comes to concussions.  He adds a common misnomer is the
suggestion you must have loss of consciousness to sustain a concussion, which is not true.  “You can’t call a concussion
‘mild’ just because someone isn’t knocked out for 10 minutes. Most concussions do not involve a loss of consciousness,” Gioia says.

Regarding the state legislation and protocols;

“The No. 1 goal is to get the student-athlete back to school without symptoms or ramifications before even thinking about a return to the sport,” Fink says. For coaches anxious to have the player return to the field, Fink tells them every athlete Continue reading →

Concussion Symposium March 2nd

Dustin Fink1 Comment

I received the following press release about a Concussion Symposium coming up in March.  The faculty is not your “usual suspects” rather some very good and known people in the medical field.  If you get the chance to head down to Texas for that Saturday I believe you will not be wasting your time or resources.  I would love to make it, however I have a prior commitment; that being said someone take good notes for me.

I would also like to add that having athletic trainers on the program list legitimizes this symposium in my mind.  Here is the presser;

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Austin, Texas (PRWEB) January 10, 2013

Concussion Compliance presents “Bridging the Gap on Best-Practices in Concussion Management.” This day-long exchange, sponsored by St. David’s HealthCare, brings together leading medical experts and practitioners to discuss the issues dominating today’s best-practice concussion management and how to incorporate the guidelines as well as the use of several tools into clinical practice.

The national symposium will be held March 2, 2013, at the Norris Conference Center, Austin. Registration is now open

“Communication and education that crosses traditional boundaries are key factors to providing good concussion treatment for our young athletes,” said Theodore Spinks, M.D., chair of the symposium program planning committee. He is a board certified neurosurgeon seeing patients in Austin, Round Rock, and Georgetown, Texas. Dr. Spinks currently serves on the CDC Expert Panel for Pediatric Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. He also served on the Texas Medical Association Committee on Concussions in Athletes during the last session of the Texas Legislature.

The symposium program provides an overview of the current best practices and consensus statements on concussion management, the latest scientific research, an update on tools available to practitioners, and perspectives from experts in concussion management.

  •     Featured Topics – The Physician’s Perspective; An Athletic Trainer’s Perspective; Head to Head: Cognitive Testing; Beyond Cognition: Balance Testing; A Look Into the Future: Vision Testing; Neurosurgical Management of Head Injuries and Concussion; Implementation of Best Practices Into Clinical Practice
  •     Keynote Speaker – Dr. Steven Erickson will present on the latest best practices in concussion management. Dr. Erickson is the medical consultant for Major League Baseball caring for the umpires and serves on the Major League Baseball Medical Advisory Committee and the Major League Baseball Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Committee.
  •     Reading of Proclamation from Governor Perry’s Office – March Concussion Awareness Month in Texas
  •     Exhibit Hall – Featuring the newest in technology, practice services, practice information, and pharmaceuticals

In addition, Governor Perry has Continue reading →

Matthew Gfeller Neurotrauma Symposium

Dustin FinkLeave a comment

Loudermilk_picsIn Zurich I had the chance to speak to many people; I enjoyed my brief time speaking with Jason Mihalik – fellow athletic trainer.  He reminded me of the previous Symposium in North Carolina and the upcoming second version.  I asked him to send along an email and I would put it up on the blog.  Here it is, and he is right, make sure you register NOW, it fills fast.

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It is with great excitement that my colleagues and I will be hosting the Second Matthew Gfeller Neurotrauma Symposium at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on March 8-9, 2013. We have lined up another great list of local, regional, and national speakers. For additional information regarding a schedule of topics, invited faculty, and links to negotiated hotel rates, please visit us at http://tbicenter.unc.edu, and click on “TBI Symposium” in the header. A direct link to register for the symposium is as follows: http://tinyurl.com/c576kdu.

Our first symposium sold out 2 months prior to the scheduled event, so register early! Current Early Bird rates in effect until January 8, 2013 are as follows:   Continue reading →

Outreach: Jay Fraga

Dustin Fink4 Comments

tweet-retweetWe are beginning a new program here at TCB.  This one is called “Outreach”; the purpose is to publicize the good (we hope the vast majority) and sometimes the not so good of concussion management and experiences across this vast planet.  One thing I realized real quick in Zürich is that the stories of the bad are relatively the same, usually highlighted in the media.  Meanwhile the stories of good are different and helpful and not heard at all.  I am asking our readers to send in stories of your cases (please be mindful identifying specifics) so we can share.  There are vast stories in the comment section but I would like to bring forward as many as possible.

The stipulations are simple: 500-2000 words with specific situations that we all can learn from and benefit from, email them to us at theconcussionblog@comcast.net and consent to possible editing as I see fit.  It would be nice if you included a bio or frame of reference, but if you would like to remain anonymous that is fine to (however, it would be good if you included something like “licensed doctor in _____ (state)” or coach, athletic trainer, mom, dad, etc.

I love people who are as, or more, active about concussion awareness, Jay Fraga has shown he means business.  He sent in his personal story about concussions, now he is elaborating more on the issue of awareness.  I appreciate Jay’s work and urge others to follow in his footsteps.

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Beating your head against a wall while suffering from Post Concussion Syndrome is probably counter-productive, yet I seem to find myself doing it (figuratively) virtually every day. We live in an electronic world, and in my electronic travels, I frequently “run” into the very people who I’m trying to get my concussion message across to.  The results are typically frustrating and lead me to ask myself why I bother trying to warn people about the perils of concussion.

Searching Twitter with the hash tag ‘#concussion” will provide a comprehensive selection of Tweets that feature illuminating articles and studies about concussion. I find that it also directs me straight to a painful paradox: kids with concussions who’ve been kept home from school on Doctors’ orders in order to heal, yet who are blissfully Tweeting their health away, 140 characters at a time, with the rapidity of an automatic rifle. If I had a nickel for every time I saw something like “Ahhhhhhhh! Home from school. Hate #concussions !”, I’d have the market absolutely cornered when it came to nickels.

RED ALERT!!!!! (DOCTORS and PARENTS- This is where you come in.)

Kids with concussions are sent home because they need Continue reading →

Good Reminder About Rest After Concussion

Dustin Fink2 Comments

This blog post was made a while back, from time-to-time I will republish them with associated comments that resulted.  This topic is about “rest” after the injury.  Most if not all medical professionals now prescribe this method, but as we found out in Zurich recently, the research behind exactly what “rest” is and for how long is unknown.  What is known allowing the brain to settle down for a period of time is highly beneficial.

———-

Although most point to physical rest as the major component of concussion management the truth of the matter is that all activity that affects brain activity needs to be limited after a concussion.  If we use the “snow globe” analogy; all the flakes in the globe must come to rest before exposing it to further activity.  What excites the “flakes” or brain, honestly, just waking up does this.  That is why I have been hammering on the need for COMPLETE rest after a concussive episode.  It is also why I am a firm believer in getting kids out of school while the brain injury heals.

This information is not new to you that read the blog, but it seems that this management technique is just catching on as a principal protocol, rather than using it if there are setbacks;

“There is so little we really know about concussions,” said Dr. Mary Dombovy, vice president of Unity Neurosciences, which includes physical medicine and rehabilitation, neurology and neurosurgery. “We’re learning more as time goes by. What we’re learning is it’s not just physical exertion that is making the brain work harder. School tasks, studying for tests, trying to write a paper, these things are very stressful for people who’ve had a concussion.”

It is not that it is stressful, per se, it is that the brain is FUNCTIONING to do those tasks and like getting on crutches for a broken leg, the only way to get the brain on “crutches” is to not give it any stimulation.  Along with that comes how long and what to do when symptoms have gone, to me it is obvious that this is where you then begin the Zurich RTP protocol (the current concussion management protocol I use).

What I am having a hard time fathoming is Continue reading →

Zurich Day 2… And We Are Live

Dustin Fink16 Comments

I have figured out the power situation so I will be trying to update the blog ASAP after each session…  For the time being make sure to follow on Twitter…

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1030 CST: Session 7, final session: The Sharp End

First debate between Dr. Cantu (yes) and Dr. Herring (no): is no RTP same day the best management paradigm?  Is keeping a player out one week long enough and is the graduated RTP protocol sufficient…

THERE WILL BE NO RTP on same day in the new statement!!!

Change of direction on Session 7, questions with panel answers, pro-con (if available)

Do 3 concussions end your career?

  • its comedy hour
  • Aubrey – treat each athlete individually
  • Dvorak – it has to be based on timing and complexity of each recovery – case-by-case basis
  • Putukian – if we can’t agree on dx how can we agree on a number
  • Overall theme is it is individualized, not all concussions are the same (Cantu)

Who is best qualified to make the sideline decision?

  • Cantu – multiple members working under a physician can make the call
  • Herring – concerning to him that some information is intrinsic to doctors so need to be careful
  • better question is who best qualified – person with most experience
  • Dvorak – looking at spectrum of games played, doctors are best qualified in most instances, but are they there in all matches?  We should aim all this to the “grass roots” as the professional level there is more than adequate coverage.
    • comedy about football versus american football
  • Ellenbogen – those that know the athletes should be making the decision, maybe a parent in youth sports, or athletic trainers, understanding the patients baseline is important
  • Putukian – balancing act, in a perfect world its a team approach (Athletic Trainer mention), and she says in the US the athletic trainer should be making the decisions on the sidelines…
  • Aubrey – Hockey Canada has a safety person (volunteer) in lieu of an athletic trainer
  • Cantu – brings up possibly training school teachers in concussion
  • Herring – if you are team physician do you need someone else to make the decision if you are on the sideline?  Panel – no

Is there a role for grading concussions?

  • Cantu – not perfect, but informing patient is important about severity and duration of recovery, after the fact
  • McCrory – we have moved from grading, look at the recovery – perhaps look at the SCAT/serial testing
  • Putukian – looking at history is more important than arbitrary “grade”
  • Herring – may help with continual care from one place to another, but again important to understand history

Should we be returning on the same day of concussion?

  • Aubrey – what about the NHL player in the playoffs (rhetorical question)
  • Cantu – no once recognized
  • McCrory – what about the players that clear the SCAT, so no concussion, but you know something is amiss?
  • Putukian – example of hockey player with delayed symptoms
  • McCrory – concussion is often an evolving injury
  • Ellenbogen – it is a traumatic brain injury, is the game worth it?  No.
  • Panel – consensus is NO RTP same day
  • McCrory to Aubrey about playoff example – what about a regular season, and Aubrey is being very honest, and he feels the player push back is greater
  • Ken Dryden from the audience – why are we treating professional athletes different from the youth or non-elite athlete
    • We are starting to move away from that, all athletes should be treated the same

Should there be helmets in woman’s lacrosse and field hockey?

  • Cantu – yes, because of stick and ball causation of concussion
  • Putukian – no, change nature of the game, no reports of intercranial bleeds in women’s lacrosse, weary of unintended consequences (BTW, probably has the most experience with this)
  • Cantu and Putukian discussing this topic
  • Change gears – what about football?
    • Dvorak not in FIFA’s plans to recommend, many reasons including the false security of wearing head gear
  • Audience Q: should we discourage the use of the head bands/head gear
    • Dvorak – your own prerogative but data does not support the use of them as recommendation (Czech goalie wears one)
    • McIntosh – Rules are more important at this time

Should there be age restriction on tackling in American football, heading in soccer and checking in ice hockey?

  • Cantu – his words speak for themselves, youth sports needs to look at how the game is played because of the differences between older
  • McCrory – in Australia you cannot get to the gladiatorial aspect of Aussie Rules until they are “of age” (13 if I heard correctly)
  • Ellenbogen – risk of activity, most concussions via CDC information is from wheeled sports and recreation, does not make sense at this time to him, advise accordingly
  • Cantu – youth sports don’t have the good data, personally he does not believe learning a sport at age 5 will make you elite, it is a genetic disposition in his opinion
  • Putukian – it makes sense to decrease exposure, US Lacrosse has put age 13 on checking, her take on soccer is that there is no data to support this when using proper sized ball and equipment
  • Dvorak – young soccer players learn sport first, and fundamentals of “football” its not “headball”, studies done on heading ball and with study there was no increase in biomarkers they were looking at it.  They don’t force kids to head ball until skills are sufficient.
  • Herring – false warranty?  Arbitrary age is concerning, take head out of the game rather then taking the game away from youth athletes.  The limit to exposure is accurate, but complete removal of the sport may not be necessary.
  • Cantu – sport needs to be safer for younger athletes
  • Aubrey – ice hockey has set limits on age for body checking, research is very important, it will help make decisions

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Dr. Jamie Kissick speaking on “From Consensus to Action”

  • Knowledge is power
  • “There is an app for that”
  • Knowledge Translation (KT) Concepts Continue reading →