Concussion Management

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 →

The World’s First Peer-Review Medical Journal with a Primary Focus on Concussion

Dustin Fink6 Comments

Concussion information is moving at a warp speed, it seems, compared to the long history of other medical issues that we face and hear about – cancer, heart disease, diabetes, etc.  In fact, concussion is not an acknowledged speciality of the medical field, yet there are more and more monies and time being devoted to this current issue.

It was only a matter of time before some smart people figured out a way to create a journal dedicated to concussion.

Current Research: Concussion has been published and fits this bill, to a “t”.  This peer-reviewed journal is being published by Canadian publishing house Pulsus Group Inc., who has published other journals such as: Current Research: Internal Medicine, Current Research: Cardiology, Pain Research & Management, Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, and more.

Full disclosure, I have known about this journal for some time and have been chomping at the bit to let all of you know about this possible resource and place of publication for concussions.  Alas, since I have been included in the publishing (more on this later) I was not allowed to divulge this information until now.

What makes this publication so interesting is not only the emergence of a tailored journal for concussion but that the online content is open access.  Anyone and everyone can read this information; from the usual suspects of academia and research to the mom’s and dad’s who care to garner more evidence-based technical education.

Although the publishing and brain-child of the journal hail from Canada the editorial board is rife with very prominent figures, north and south of the border:  Continue reading →

Now This is a Possible Game Changer

Dustin Fink6 Comments

There have been many attempts to create a concussion “game changer”, something that will bring the assessment and/or recovery into better focus and provide more concrete answers for all of us.  One thing many people keep forgetting is that the human brain is not only very complex but it is also very individual.  Creating blanket statements, guidelines, and recommendations are very difficult; unless of course you use a multidisciplinary approach that touches on every part of the concussion sequale.

If you have read long enough and seen the comment section you will know that we have been clamoring for a more comprehensive, evidence-based, set of recommendations that broach all four parts of a concussion: physical, cognitive, sleep, and social/behavioral.  Perhaps the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation has done just that (.pdf at end of post and in “Current Concussion Management Page” or you can go to the ONF website);

ONF is pleased to publicly release the Guidelines for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (MTBI) and Persistent Symptoms.  The Guidelines were generated through a consensus process using existing evidence and clinical expertise. 10 to 15% of people who sustain MTBI do not recover well or as expected. The guidelines are therefore aimed at treating and reducing the impact of persistent symptoms following MTBI in adults.  On behalf of the project team that oversaw this work, ONF welcomes feedback on the Guidelines to info@onf.org

There have been other guidelines, one we hold as the standard (note not gold standard) Continue reading →

Ahead of the Game

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Axon Sports has worked hard to create a resource for those looking to implement concussion management.  Not unlike Xenith helmets and “The Enlightened Warrior”, Axon has put information out to help with education and awareness.  The title page says;

Welcome to Ahead of the Game – your Axon Sports Concussion Management toolkit. This practical online resource offers cutting-edge tools, best practices, and other items to improve the effectiveness of your concussion management program design, delivery, and discussions.

If you’re involved with a School, League, Team or Club, these tools can help you get your program up and running faster and smoother.

One in 10 young Athletes will suffer a concussion this year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The actual number is likely much higher as concussions continue to go unrecognized and underreported. We also know that 80 percent of Athletes will fully recover when their concussion is recognized and managed early. What we don’t know is — who are the other 20 percent?

This information is available for a limited time for non-account holders at THIS LINK.  Another company that is trying to help the cause of erasing the stigma of head injuries, and making more aware of the concussion issue.