Friday, February 26, 2010

CONCUSSIONS PART 7

RETURN TO PLAY

1. No return to play in current game

2. Stepwise return to play

a. No activity - rest (physical and mental) until asymptomatic

b. Light aerobic exercise (e.g. stationary bike)

c. Sport-specific training

d. Non-contact drills (start light resistance training)

e. Full-contact drills after medical clearance

f. Return to competition - Game Play

There should be approximately 24 hours (or longer) for each stage and the athlete should return to stage 1 if symptoms recur. Resistance training should only be added in the later stages. Medical clearance should be given before return to play.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

CONCUSSIONS PART 6

SIGNS TO WATCH OUT FOR AFTER A CONCUSSION

Problems could arise over the first 24-48 hours. Athlete should not be left alone and must go to a hospital at once if he/she:
• Has a headache that gets worse

• Are very drowsy or can’t be awakened (woken up)

• Can’t recognize people or places

• Has repeated vomiting

• Behave unusually or seem confused; are very irritable

• Has seizures (arms and legs jerk uncontrollably)

• Has weak or numb arms or legs

• Are unsteady on your feet; have slurred speech

SEE A DOCTOR!

Friday, February 19, 2010

CONCUSSIONS PART 5

ON THE FIELD TESTING CONTINUED

Balance Testing - Tandem Stance

“Stand heel-to-toe with your non-dominant foot in back. Your weight should be evenly distributed across both feet. You should try to maintain stability for 20 seconds with your hands on your hips and your eyes closed. I will be counting the number of times you move out of this position. If you stumble out of this position, open your eyes and return to the start position and continue balancing. I will start timing when you are set and have closed your eyes.”

Observe the athlete for 20 seconds. If they make more than 5 errors (such as lifting their hands off their hips; open their eyes; lift their forefoot or heel; step, stumble, or fall; or remain out of the start position for more that 5 seconds) then this may suggest a concussion.

FENCING RESPONSE

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

BENCH PRESS INJURY - A SIMPLE WAY TO AVOID INJURY

Here is the way to avoid this type of injury - a "thumb over grip." Take a look at this video to see how to hold the bar properly when you bench press:



Any comments are welcome!

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

BENCH PRESS INJURIES - DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU!

USC Trojans running back Stafon Johnson injured his throat in a weightlifting accident last fall and required emergency surgery. Johnson was bench pressing when the bar slipped from his hands and fell on his throat, according to a release from the school. Immediately after the accident, Johnson was coughing up blood.

My guess is that Mr. Johnson was gripping the bar with a "thumb under" grip. Take a look at this video to see what can happen with this type of grip:



Stay tuned to my next blog post to see how to prevent this potentially devastating injury....

Thursday, February 11, 2010

CONCUSSIONS PART 4

ON THE FIELD TESTING CONTINUED

Memory Function

Failure to answer all questions correctly may suggest a concussion. Listen for slurring of the speech.

• “At what venue are we at today?”

• “Which half is it now?”

• “Who scored last in this game?”

• “What team did you play last week / game?”

• “Did your team win the last game?”

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE!

Watch the videos below and let me know what you think!



Watch the running back lower his head and run full steam into the defensive player:

Monday, February 8, 2010

CONCUSSIONS PART 3

ON THE FIELD TESTING - WHAT COACHES AND PARENTS NEED TO KNOW

Any athlete with a suspected concussion should be IMMEDIATELY REMOVED FROM PLAY, urgently assessed medically, should not be left alone and should not drive a motor vehicle.

Concussion should be suspected in the presence of any one or more of the following symptoms (such as headache), or physical signs (such as unsteadiness), or impaired brain function (e.g. confusion) or abnormal behavior. Presence of any of the following signs and symptoms may suggest a concussion:

Loss of consciousness, Seizure or convulsion, Amnesia, Headache, Pressure in head, Neck pain, Nausea or vomiting, Ringing in the ears, Dizziness, Blurred vision, Balance problems, Sensitivity to light, Sensitivity to noise, Feeling slowed down, Feeling like in a fog, Don't feel right, Difficulty concentrating, Difficulty remembering, Fatigue or low energy, Confusion, Drowsiness, More emotional, Irritability, Sadness, Nervous Anxiety

See http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/43/Suppl_1/i89.full.pdf+html

Thursday, February 4, 2010

WEAR A HELMET!

This defiant professional cyclist did not wear his helmet on a training ride. Read this story from the Cycling Examiner and please stop the next person you see riding without a helmet!

"German pro cyclist Matthias Kessler definitely had bad luck when a cat crossed his path last week while training in Majorca. Add Kessler's decision not to wear a helmet and the result was tragic and could have been fatal.

Kessler, 30, a former rider for the Kazakhstan-based team Astana, served to miss a cat and crashed head-first in a wall and suffered a fractured skull.

Physicians induced a coma to facilitate Kessler's recovery, and the cyclist also had surgery to have blood clots removed. Kessler was initially listed in critical condition, but is now recovering and his status has been upgraded to serious."

Read the rest of the article by clicking here.


Wednesday, February 3, 2010

CONCUSSIONS PART 2

"According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 20 percent of the brain injuries that occur yearly in the U.S. can be attributred to athletics. That is more than 300,000 concussions! High school, college and amateur athletes receive most of these injuries, because thee are so many more of these players than there are pros." 1 There are an estimated 62,800 concussions annually among high school students nationwide. 2 Data from the NCAA Injury Surveillance System for the perior 1994-1996 estimated that more than 1500 concussions occur annually in college football. 3

"'This is a major public health issue that's been geven short shrift,' says Michael W. Collins of the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. 'It's underrecognized, underdiagnosed and misdiagnosed. It's happening with alarming frequency at the