Concussion is defined as an acute neurophysiological event related to a blunt impact or other mechanical energy applied to the head, such as from sudden acceleration, deceleration or rotational forces. Concussion can happen from a motor vehicle crash, sports or recreational injury, falls, workplace injury, assault or an incident in the community.
Athletes, trainers, coaches, parents, and health care professionals should recognize a possible concussion and know what to look for. Some common signs and symptoms of a concussion are headache, dizziness, nausea, blurred vision, balance problems, or being sensitive to light. Cognitively, individuals with a concussion may feel confused, have problem concentrating or remembering things. Emotionally, they might be irritable, depressed, nervous, or anxious.
Currently, the Rowan’s law is used to bring awareness and serve as a remove-from-sport protocol. It requires the sport organizations to immediately remove the athletes from further training, practice, or competition if the athlete has sustained a concussion or is suspected of having sustained a concussion, and directs the individual to emergency medical attention when necessary. In Ontario, all suspected concussions should be assessed by a medical professional. In addition, physicians, nurse practitioners, and neuropsychologists are the only medical professionals who can diagnose a concussion. After the diagnosis, your primary healthcare provider will likely come up with a treatment plan that involves the support of other healthcare professionals.
Depending on each providers’ scope of practice, our clinic’s physiotherapist, kinesiologist, chiropractor, and massage therapist can help rehabilitate the problems secondary to concussion, such as vestibular issues, orthopaedic injury, neck pain, postural issues, muscle tension, and also provide return-to-play support.