Why are we trying to raise awareness about this?

Well, we are seeing more and more concussions in the practice.

Concussion is more common than many people realise, particularly in sport. Many injuries are managed outside hospital settings, making the true number difficult to measure but these are definitely on the rise with things like e-bikes and phat bikes becoming increasingly popular. What we do know is that children and young athletes are an important group to protect, and Dutch health authorities are increasingly highlighting the importance of preventing both concussion and repeated head impacts.

So what is a concussion?

A concussion is a type of mild traumatic brain injury that can occur after a blow, bump or jolt to the head or even a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly. One of the challenges with concussion is that there isn’t always an obvious sign that someone has been injured. An person doesn’t have to lose consciousness.

Symptoms can include:

Headache or pressure in the head
Dizziness or balance problems
Changes in vision
Sensitivity to light or noise
Feeling foggy, slowed down or unable to concentrate
Fatigue or changes in sleep
Nausea
Irritability or changes in mood
And symptoms don’t always appear immediately. They can develop or become more noticeable hours or even days after the injury. That’s why knowing what is normal for you, your child or an athlete can be incredibly valuable. The good news is most people recover well from concussion. But for some, symptoms can persist for weeks or longer.

So what happens concussion symptoms don’t simply go away?

This is where we may start talking about persistent post-concussive symptoms (PPCS), and this is important: a concussion doesn’t necessarily look the same in every person. Tricky right? One person might primarily experience headaches. Another may struggle with dizziness or balance. Someone else may notice visual difficulties, poor concentration, fatigue, disrupted sleep, sensitivity to light or noise, anxiety, irritability or feeling overwhelmed. The symptoms can be physical, cognitive, emotional and sleep-related, sometimes in combination.

When symptoms persist, we at Pure Health understand the current concussion treatment approach don’t believe in simply telling someone to “rest and wait.”

We want to understand what systems are struggling and why to help you make a full recovery.

September is Concussion Awareness Month, and with a new sports seasons getting underway, we think there is no better time to talk about concussion especially when it comes to our young athletes. Whether your child plays football, hockey, rugby, cycling, gymnastics, football or another contact or high-speed sport, preparation matters. And we want to protect athletes starts before the injury. Concussion isn’t something we should only think about after an injury happens.

Why consider a preseason baseline?

One of the things we are passionate about at Pure Health is being proactive rather than reactive. A preseason baseline assessment gives us an opportunity to understand an athlete’s function before an injury occurs. During on the assessment, we include looking at areas such as balance, coordination, visual function, movement and other aspects of neurological function. If you or your child later sustains a suspected concussion, having pre-injury information can give their healthcare team another piece of the puzzle when assessing changes and planning recovery. It’s simply another tool that can help us understand the athlete and support more informed decision-making if an injury occurs. Your children and teenagers are still developing physically and neurologically (their developing brain and nervous system), and concussion can affect more than their ability to play sport and can affect school, concentration, sleep, mood, energy, relationships and everyday life.

At Pure Health Chiropractic, Chanelle Scott-Crossley has been continuing to develop her knowledge and clinical interest in functional neurology, particularly the relationship between the brain, nervous system, movement and sensory systems.

This allows us to look beyond simply asking:

“Where does it hurt?”

We can ask:

How is the your balance?
How are you coordinating movement?
How are your eyes and head working together?
How are you responding to different sensory inputs?
How are you tolerating physical and cognitive load?
What happens to your symptoms when we gradually increase activity?
Concussion rehabilitation should be individualised. Depending on the person and their symptoms, appropriate care may involve different healthcare professionals and rehabilitation approaches, including vestibular, vision, physical, cognitive or psychological support. Our goal is to be part of that bigger picture, working within our scope and collaborating with the appropriate healthcare professionals when needed.

Prevention matters too

Protecting the young athletes starts before the injury.

Whether your child plays football, hockey, rugby, cycling, gymnastics, football or another contact or high-speed sport or is just getting to school on their bicycle, awareness and preparation matters. And concussion isn’t something we should only think about after an injury happens. We can’t eliminate the risk of concussion from sport or in daily life. But we can make things a little safer.

That means:

 Use appropriate protective equipment on and off the field.
Helmets and other protective equipment should be appropriate for the sport, fit correctly and be used according to the manufacturer’s and sport’s safety guidelines.

 Prepare the body for the demands of the sport.
Strength, coordination, balance, reaction and movement skills all matter.

 Know the signs of concussion.
Athletes, parents and coaches should know what to look for. If you need assistance, feel free to ask Chanelle more about it in your next appointment.

 When in doubt, take them out.
If a concussion is suspected, the any person should be removed from play if on the field and assessed by an appropriate healthcare professional. They should not return to sport the same day without appropriate medical clearance.

Returning to sport is a gradual, stepwise process, with progression guided by symptoms and healthcare professionals.

Want to understand your athlete before the season starts?

This September, we’re opening up free baseline concussion assessments at Pure Health Chiropractic for athletes and families who want to have a better baseline in place for the “what if” situations. Let’s be aware, let’s be prepared, together.