Sports Concussions - New Position by the American Medical Society of Sports Medicine

Recently, the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) advised a new position statement on concussions in sport. I encourage everyone, whether their children or loved ones play or are involved with athletics, to read this article. 

"An athlete with concussion should not return to practice or competitive play until all symptoms have resolved, in order to avoid the risk for further injury during the vulnerable period before the brain has recovered, the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) advises in a position statement on concussions in sport." -  American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM), January 17, 2013.

The serious nature of even the mildest blow to the head, especially in youth athletes is now recognized. There does not have to be a period of unconsciousness for a concussion ( blow to the brain) to have occurred.

The brain is like a peeled grapefruit sitting in pineapple juice enclosed in a bone box, with many bony spikes and depressions in it. If you shake or hit the box hard enough the grapefruit will strike the side of the box, a spike or a depression and tear. Some grapefruit juice will leak into the pineapple juice. Also the grapefruit cells will have ruptured, or been bruised so much that they will never to hold juice again.

So much for the lesson in agricultural neurology.

Think of the magnitude  of the impact  of head to head clunks on the playground, a basketball forward coming down off the boards to hit the top of another player’s head with a pointed elbow, a full on soccer kick unintentionally striking the face of an opponent, and a missed ground ball striking a young fielder on the forehead.

“Shake it off and go back into the game”.

WRONG MOVE, COACH!!!

Pre-season Cognitive Tests should be part of a sports physical for all athletes, at all levels of play.
Some high school teams are conducting pre-season computer based Cognitive Processing screenings for their athletes. Most youth and school teams are not. Even the pre-season tested athlete is often told to shake it off and is allowed to continue to play. A sideline retest should be administered before the athlete is allowed to reenter the game, yet in the melee of a game, follow up cognitive testing is done the next day when the team is back on their own campus. One day of increased vulnerability or actual undetected damage has lapsed.

Skiers, snowboard and skateboard enthusiasts should be tested to allow reassessment after a serious head-biff on the hill or off the rail in a skateboard park.

If your child is a youth athlete, a KING-DEVIK TEST provides an accurate and repeatable  baseline test for cognitive function and speed. This test plus a sideline version administered by coaches or trainers every time an athlete has a bell ringing contact will assure parents of no hidden neurological damage.

King Devik Testing is done at Bison Vision Center. Contact us today if you are interested in a consultation at 541-773-1414.