Management of Concussion For Coaches

1
Management of Concussion For Coaches
Officials InHigh School Athletics

• Michele C. Benz, ATC, LAT, CSCS, HFS

2
What is my role and what are my responsibilities
surrounding concussion?

• Ensure safe participation of all athletes.
• Learn to recognize the signs and symptoms (S/S)
  of concussion.
• Remove any athlete showing S/S of concussion from
  participation.
• Know the new return to play (RTP) guidelines
  established by the National Federation of High
  School Associations (NFHS), 2010 and Zurich
  Conference, 2008.
• Support concussion awareness and a Second Impact
  Syndrome (SIS) prevention program at your school.

3
What Is a Concussion?
BRAIN DAMAGE!!!!!
Bruised Brain Bell Rung Ding Jacked
Up

When In Doubt, Sit Them Out!
4
Facts About Concussion
1.2 Million Youth Concussions Per Year 50 FB
Players Have Sustained A Concussion 35 Suffered
Multiple Concussions 80 Symptoms Worsen Over
Weeks 50 Return To Play Too Soon 70 Would RTP
Concussed 41 Would Not Leave A Game 50 H.S.
Football Players Have Died Since 97
Its not dangerous to play with a concussion,
said Kelby Jasmon, a senior two-way player for
his high school in Springfield, Ill., who has
had three concussions. Youve got to sacrifice
for the sake of the team. The only way I come
out is on a stretcher.
5
NFHS Rule Changes

• INDIANAPOLIS, IN (March 4, 2010) Effective with
  the 2010 high school football season, any player
  who shows signs, symptoms or behaviors associated
  with a concussion must be removed from the game
  and shall not return to play until cleared by an
  appropriate health-care professional.
• The previous rule directed officials to remove an
  athlete from play if unconscious or apparently
  unconscious. The previous rule also allowed for
  return to play based on written authorization by
  a medical doctor. Now, in the absence of a
  medical staff (ATC, MD) officials are charged
  with removing any player who shows signs,
  symptoms or behaviors consistent with a
  concussion, such as loss of consciousness,
  headache, dizziness, confusion or balance
  problems, and shall not return to play until
  cleared by an appropriate health-care
  professional.

6
How To Recognize Signs and Symptoms of Concussion

• Athlete stumbles after getting up
• Shakes head in attempt to shake it off
• Goes to wrong huddle
• Takes a knee or bent over in huddle
• Vacant stare-eyes does not have focal point
• Runs the wrong play-possibly more than once
• Film Review
• Complains or shows typical signs
• Headache,
• Bothered by light
• Personality change
• Eyes dont focus or follow

7
Second Impact Syndrome (SIS)

• Second concussion before previous concussion has
  completely resolved
• Metabolic volcano within the brain
• High school athletes at great risk
• Catastrophic brain injury or death

Second Impact Syndrome is PREVENTABLE
8
Before After SIS
9
Prevention

• SIS PREVENTION PROGRAM
• Coaches must encourage athletes to report signs
• Promote Baseline Testing
• Concussion Awareness Videos
• Helmets fit by the athletic trainer
• Officials Coaches need to recognize signs
• Officials should make coaches and athletic
  trainers aware of an athlete who looks concussed
• Encourage rest until ALL signs resolve
• Stop head first tackling

Second Impact is PREVENTABLE
10
Your Role With Athletic Concussions
RECOGNIZE RESPONSIBILITY PREVENTION OF SIS
AT RISK POSITIONS REMOVE PLAYER LEAD BY EXAMPLE
SIGNS DONT PRESSURE EQUIPMENT FITTING
SYMPTOMS DISCUSSION RTP GUIDELINES
PREVIOUS INJURY FOLLOW-UP SIS PROGRAM
11
What To Expect

• Athlete removed from play
• Sideline evaluation
• Communication with ATC
• Doctor referral
• ImPACT post-injury test
• Graduated RTP
• Close observation after RTP
• Fear from athlete/parent
• Athletes need for confidence
• Not the same intensity at first
• Possibility of re-occurrence

12
Football is an incredible game. Sometimes it's
so incredible, it's unbelievable.-Tom Landry
Teach Them How To Have FUN Play Safe
13
I firmly believe that any man's finest hour, the
greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear,
is that moment when he has worked his heart out
in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field
of battle - victorious. -Vince Lombardi
Play Tough, Play Hard, Play With Heart,
But Dont Play With Concussion
14
(No Transcript)