Injury Tips

When injured, remember ICE
When an athlete becomes injured the body's initial response is to tighten or tense up, which leads to pain. The body also begins swelling in the affected area. Swelling is a natural response, but needs to be controlled. Swelling occurs for two reasons:

• to naturally splint the injured body part; and
• to bring the body's defense cells to the injury to aid in recovery.

Swelling can be controlled successfully by remembering the acronym ICE.
I is for ice, which slows down the metabolism of the cells so they don't require as much oxygen for up to 20 minutes.
C is for compression. Wrapping the ice in a snug Ace wrap helps squeeze the swelling out of the injured area.
E is for elevation. Keeping the injured area above the level of the heart helps pump blood back into the heart.

Concussion Signs and Symptoms

• Loss of consciousness
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Amnesia
• Loss of concentration/confusion
• Loss of balance
• Vision difficulties
• Weakness of extremities
• Personality changes (becoming irritable or restless)
• Respiratory difficulties
• Ringing in ears
• Drowsiness
• Speech difficulties

Following a blow to the head: Why is Appropriate Treatment of Concussions so Important

1. Lucid Interval: Athlete may initially show signs/symptoms of a mild concussion. These symptoms subside quickly and the athlete progresses through a very lucid period which may eliminate suspicion of a serious concussion. The athlete's condition then abruptly begins to deteriorate rapidly in the following manner -- the athlete becomes disoriented, confused, drowsy, complains of a headache that increases in intensity with time and falls into a coma. If untreated, death or permanent brain damage occurs.

2. Second Impact Syndrome: Athletes who are allowed to return to competition prior to the complete resolution of all post-traumatic symptoms are at risk of a relatively minor yet fatal second blow. The minor blow can result in rapid cerebral swelling, which leads to catastrophic consequences in 50% of the cases. Once the swelling begins, it is virtually impossible to control.

3. Post Concussion Syndrome, Return-to-Play Criteria: If an athlete displays any of the concussion signs and symptoms following a blow to the head, he/she must sit out for at least 15 minutes. Once the 15 minutes expires and the athlete is symptom-free, the athlete must perform some form of physical exertion (sprinting, sit-ups, push-ups, hopping). If the athlete is symptom-free after exertion, then he/she may return to play, but a head injury warning sheet should be issued to the family. Symptoms that persist beyond 15 minutes or return following physical exertion require the attention of a medical professional and a removal from activity until a medical evaluation is performed. A gradual return to activity is necessary (i.e Day 1 - light activity) and so on.

Sycamore Sports Medicine Concussion Policy

Concussion Grading & Return to Play Guidelines

Concussion

A concussion is a disturbance in brain function that occurs either following a blow to the head or as a result of a violent shaking of the head. It is a form of mild traumatic brain injury.

Signs & Symptoms of Concussion

Signs of a concussion may include the player appearing dazed or stunned, confused about plays or score, moving clumsily, answering questions slowly, behavior changes, forgetting events prior to or after the collision, or loss of consciousness.

• Symptoms of a concussion may include headache, nausea, balance problems or dizziness, double or fuzzy vision, sensitivity to light or noise, feeling sluggish or foggy, changes in sleep pattern, concentration or memory problems.
• Symptoms of a concussion may last days or even weeks.

Return to Play Guidelines

Any athlete who has suffered a concussion should not return to play in the same game or practice. All athletes diagnosed with a concussion are encouraged to be evaluated by their personal physician.

*Sycamore Sports Medicine athletic trainers will make return to play decisions in conjunction with team physicians once an athletes concussion symptoms have completely resolved.  They will use a computerized neurocognitive test (more information below) to help determine that a concussion has resolved.  Athletes will then be asked to perform a return to play progression over a series of days to ensure that symptoms do not return with an increased level of physical exertion

ImPACT Test:

All at risk athletes will be asked to take a baseline neurocognitive test. Following a concussion, a post-concussion test will be administered 24-72 hours after the concussion. Depending on post-concussion resulrts, it may need to be repeated when the athlete is asymptomatic until post-concussion results improve to within baseline. Test values are reviewed and compared by Dr. Andrew McDonald (sports medicine physician, AP&S Clinic) or Dr. Ken Victor (neuropsychology, Union Hospital).

Complications of a Concussion

Complications of a concussion are concussion symptoms that last from several weeks to over a month after the injury and are known as post-concussive syndrome. Complications are more likely to occur in the setting or multiple, previous concussions, but may occur after the first concussion. If persistent symptoms occur, schedule an appointment with your primary care physician or Sycamore Sports Medicine at 812-238-7677