Friday, December 23, 2016
Taking a Stand on the Silent Epidemic.
The Silent Epidemic
Concussion and its risks are poorly understood by athletes, parents, doctors, and sports organizations because it is a "silent epidemic". Silent and Epidemic are strong words but are accurate.
Unfortunately, athletes across the spectrum of sports are victims of sport-related concussion (SRC) and going unrecognized and being returned to play too early.
Why the confusion when the evidence is out there? Why ignore the warnings? What will it take to make us take a concussion seriously?
Surprisingly the first move to create a protocol was made in 2001 (Vienna), 2nd in 2004 (Prague) 3rd in 2008 (Zurich), the 4th in November 2012 (Zurich), and 5th and latest in April 2017 (Berlin)by the International Consensus Conferences on Concussion in Sport.
Silent Ones
Regrettably the fact that athletes are silent about their experiences is particularly worrisome. A silence that is driven by many factors which include being told that they cannot return to play, or play anymore, or be seen to be weak by fellow athletes, their families, and even suffer reprisal from the coach and all the way up to the top of the sports organizations they are involved with.
Derek Boogaard, a hockey player from Saskatchewan, Canada is one of the many who is silent to rest of the world, but not to his family and team-mates.
Derek died at age 28 of an overdose, but on autopsy was found to have CTE, (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy), previously known as dementia pugilistica. During his hockey career as a defenseman, he had sustained multiple concussions.
Had Derek lived he could have developed some or even all of the classical symptoms of CTE such as confusion, headaches, memory loss, aggression, and depression but these can take years to develop. This makes it more difficult to grasp the association of head injuries or concussions and CTE. But then it is too late.
His problems with alcohol and drug addiction do muddy the waters and though it is not clear what played the greatest role we do know that the concussions played a significant role.
Non-Silent Ones
The National Association of School Psychologists is taking a stand. Their published article Research-based-Practice on Sport-related-Concussions expertly expresses the concerns and shared views.
The Coaching Association of Canada has accepted to follow a protocol of proper Concussion Management.
The movie Concussion about Dr. Bennet Omalu, a renowned pathologist in Pittsburgh, documents his non-silence but also the consequences of his actions and the imposing reaction from sports organizations.
Eric Lindros is taking a stand. (Eric Lindros hits back at sports concussions).
Rowan Stringer died taking a stand, which led to Rowans law ( Bill 149, Rowan's Law Advisory Committee Act, 2016)
What can we do in the meantime?
See Guidelines for Concussion / Mild Traumatic Brain Injury & Persistent Symptoms
Thanks to the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation.
Concussion and its risks are poorly understood by athletes, parents, doctors, and sports organizations because it is a "silent epidemic". Silent and Epidemic are strong words but are accurate.
Unfortunately, athletes across the spectrum of sports are victims of sport-related concussion (SRC) and going unrecognized and being returned to play too early.
Why the confusion when the evidence is out there? Why ignore the warnings? What will it take to make us take a concussion seriously?
Surprisingly the first move to create a protocol was made in 2001 (Vienna), 2nd in 2004 (Prague) 3rd in 2008 (Zurich), the 4th in November 2012 (Zurich), and 5th and latest in April 2017 (Berlin)by the International Consensus Conferences on Concussion in Sport.
Silent Ones
Regrettably the fact that athletes are silent about their experiences is particularly worrisome. A silence that is driven by many factors which include being told that they cannot return to play, or play anymore, or be seen to be weak by fellow athletes, their families, and even suffer reprisal from the coach and all the way up to the top of the sports organizations they are involved with.
Derek died at age 28 of an overdose, but on autopsy was found to have CTE, (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy), previously known as dementia pugilistica. During his hockey career as a defenseman, he had sustained multiple concussions.
Had Derek lived he could have developed some or even all of the classical symptoms of CTE such as confusion, headaches, memory loss, aggression, and depression but these can take years to develop. This makes it more difficult to grasp the association of head injuries or concussions and CTE. But then it is too late.
His problems with alcohol and drug addiction do muddy the waters and though it is not clear what played the greatest role we do know that the concussions played a significant role.
Non-Silent Ones
Sidney Crosbie's experience with a concussion, Sidney Crosbie diagnosed with a concussion,
certainly drew attention to this condition, although sadly due to his celebrity but if that is what it takes then so be it. He diligently took sufficient time to recover before returning to play, which cost him almost a full year of absence from the team and playing but it was important to him.The National Association of School Psychologists is taking a stand. Their published article Research-based-Practice on Sport-related-Concussions expertly expresses the concerns and shared views.
The Coaching Association of Canada has accepted to follow a protocol of proper Concussion Management.
The movie Concussion about Dr. Bennet Omalu, a renowned pathologist in Pittsburgh, documents his non-silence but also the consequences of his actions and the imposing reaction from sports organizations.
Eric Lindros is taking a stand. (Eric Lindros hits back at sports concussions).
Rowan Stringer died taking a stand, which led to Rowans law ( Bill 149, Rowan's Law Advisory Committee Act, 2016)
What can we do in the meantime?
See Guidelines for Concussion / Mild Traumatic Brain Injury & Persistent Symptoms
Thanks to the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation.
Denial and fear are still rampant and until this is overturned, athletes will not feel safe to express their symptoms, their suffering and so unmanaged and untreated they will be lost to us all in silence.
A prospective study of concussions....
A prospective study of concussions among National Hockey League Players during regular season games: the NHL-NHLPA Concussion Program
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