PLATTSBURGH—Head injuries and
concussions in contact sports is a growing concern for athletes. Lack of proper diagnosis and treatment of a
concussion may result in serious long-term consequences, or risk of coma or
death.
A concussion is caused
by a bump, blow, or jolt to either the head or the body that causes the brain
to move rapidly inside the skull.
Concussions change how the brain normally functions.
According
to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), an estimated 1.6-3.8 million sports-
and recreation-related concussions occur in the United States each year. The
American Academy of Pediatrics has reported that emergency room visits for
concussions in kids ages 8 to 13 years old has doubled, and concussions have
risen 200 percent among teen’s ages 14 to 19 in the last decade.
Derrick
Denteh, a counselor at Behavioral Health Services North, sees kids come in with
these head injuries from time to time. Counselors just try to limit and monitor
their activities until doctors clear them.
“These
kids and there safety are our top concern, although we aren’t doctors, we do
anything we can do to help ease the symptoms.”
During
the 2015 NFL season, concussion spotters will hold more power than ever. The
NFL has now changed its policies regarding concussions and, now, concussion
spotters who are not on the sidelines but are watching from the press box will
be able to stop the game when they spot a player showing concussion-like
symptoms according to CBS sports. If the
spotter stops the game, the player will be forced to sit out at least one play
while undergoing a concussion test. Neither team will be charged with a
timeout, but time will stop for a medical timeout.
“I
feel spotters should be in all contact sports with high cases of concussions,”
said Ross Sloan, Plattsburgh State hockey player. Sloan suffered a concussion
last year during a game; however, he didn’t realize until after the game when
he started having symptoms.
“If there had been
spotters, I could have been taken out the game and not at risk to causing more
damage,” said Sloan.
After a
concussion, athletes are usually out for at least two weeks, possibly more
depending on the severity. They have to
go through a series of tests, and a resting stage before they can return to the
playing field.
“Although we want
our guys out on the field, there health is our main concern,” said Chris
Manning, assistant basketball coach at St. Lawrence University. We work along with the training staff to
ensure that when our athletes return to the floor, they are 100 percent.”
At Plattsburgh
State, athletes are required to take an ImPACT test before there season there
first year. It’s a sophisticated test of
cognitive abilities that can help health care professionals track recovery of
cognitive processes following concussion.
If an athlete
suffers a concussion, after they are symptom free for 24 hours, they retake the
test and the results are analyzed to see if they are concussion free. However, is this a true indication that an
athlete is concussion free?
“What if there was
an underlining injury that we didn’t know about when you first took the exam
originally so when you first take it the results are skewed already,” said Alan
Siergiej, an athletic trainer at SUNY Plattsburgh. “So now the second time you
take it the results may show you don’t have a concussion when you do and vice
versa.”
To reassure that
the concussion is gone, athletes take an exertion test after the ImPACT
following 24 hours being symptom free. It’s a physically demanding work out,
where trainers try to bring back concussion like symptoms.
“We do this to try
and bring back symptoms, because if you feel light headed, dizzy, or nauseous,
you still have a concussion,” said Siergiej.
The test consists
of strength testing, balance testing, and senses testing, and had eye
coordination.
“The worst test I
ever took in my life,” said Shamoy McIntosh, former Plattsburgh State
basketball player, “when I passed that, I knew my concussion was gone.”
It is very
possible for a person to play, come out and then test normal according Dr.
Richard Ellenbogen, the co-chair of the NFL's Head, Neck and Spine Committee,
in 90 percent of concussions, symptoms can disappear just minutes after the
injury.
This poses the
question, how do you truly test and cure a concussion and are athletes at risk
of potential fatal repercussions?
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