Head injuries go to House of Commons

"Queen’s Athletic Therapy co-ordinator Vicky Wiltshire said it’s important to promote concussion education. She said the higher number of reported concussions among Queen’s athletes might have to do with an increased awareness about the dangers of head injuries.

“It’s really hard to tell whether there are more concussions happening or we’re just seeing more because we’re better educated,” she said, adding that coaches don’t say “it’s just a bell-ringer” anymore.

“People are at least starting to open their eyes,” she said.

Athletic Therapy follows the Concussion in Sport Group guidelines to evaluate concussed athletes, concluding daily check-ups until symptoms clear up. If symptoms persist, athletes are referred to sports medicine physicians.

Wiltshire said most athletes recover within a week but some have suffered long-term effects.

“We have a very small number of athletes who, weeks later, can’t sit through a lecture without getting a headache,” she said. “It can be scary and really debilitating … sometimes you don’t recover from it.”

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Varied symptoms of concussion may need treatment by many different therapists

"At York University in Toronto, the sport injury clinic provides a team approach to dealing with concussions among players on its varsity teams.

Sports medicine doctors, physiotherapists, chiropractors, massage therapists and more all bring their individual specialty to get an athlete back on the field or ice, but always with a go-slow approach, says Cindy Hughes, head athletic therapist and clinic manager."

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"One of those therapies is osteopathy, a system of hands-on manipulation of the bones and tissues aimed at restoring the body to health.

Part of that treatment can include cranial-sacral massage, says Natalie Randall, an athletic therapist and osteopath at Cove Sport Therapy in Dartmouth, N.S.

The osteopath will work on what's called the dura mater ("tough mother" in Latin), one of the protective layers around the spinal cord upwards from the sacrum, or tailbone, that also cushions the brain inside the skull."

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Keeping their heads up: SAIT participates in U of C concussion research

"Before the start of the season, every SAIT hockey player will have taken a concussion baseline test at the U of C.The testing uses an innovative robotic device to assess athletes for reaction time, divided attention, working memory, visio-spatial planning, and movement co-ordination.

“We’re excited about the integration of robotics as a novel concussion assessment tool,” said Dr. Brian Benson, who conducted the study, in a press release. “Even subtle impairments may increase their risk of repeat or additional injury.”

Kim Sweeney, SAIT’s head athletic therapist, has dealt with student athletes who have experienced concussions for seven years and said the school is going in the right direction.

Every athlete at SAIT who suffers a concussion has to go through Sweeney before being cleared to play. The athlete has to be symptom free for 24 hours, then undergo a series of increased physical activity. If there are any setbacks, it’s back to square one."

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MOHA adopts baseline testing to help prevent concussions

"“The thing that struck me is they said the national women’s team actually had more concussions than the national men’s team,” said MOHA president Mark Bentley. “It just shows you don’t need bodychecking to have concussions.”

The presentation was compelling enough to convince MOHA to adopt the program. So before each of MOHA’s 2,650 players in both rep and house league over the age of 10 stepped on the ice this season, they were required to complete a cognitive baseline test that is also used by the NHL, NFL and CFL.

“We’re proud to be one of the first to get out there and pave the way and make people more aware,” said Russell Gunner, a certified athletic therapist and one of MOHA’s two head trainers.

Minor hockey organizations in Guelph and London are also using the ImPACT baseline testing, but MOHA is the largest minor hockey program to adopt it. The organization is using its reserve fund to cover the $25 fee for administering the test, a total cost of more than $60,000.

“Money well spent,” Bentley said. “We’ve always been proactive. We did security clearances before they were mandated and we did mouth guards before they were required.”

Players can do the test online in about 20-25 minutes. By testing players’ reactions, memory and their ability to process information, the test establishes a baseline for comparison when the player retakes the test following a concussion.

Gunner said concussions can be tricky because even if a player is symptom-free, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are ready to return to action.

“Right now, all we have is ‘How do you feel?’ He may be feeling fine but the brain is still in the process of trying to heal,” he said. “This is a fantastic tool to help determine when a player is ready to return, but it’s just a tool, it’s not the only thing.”"

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Mandatory minor hockey program launched to cut down on concussions

"Niagara IceDogs athletic therapist Peter Dobbin said his players do online baseline tests every year, something that is mandated by the Ontario Hockey League.

Dobbin, a strong testing supporter, said the tests are hard to fudge as it uses a player's responses as a baseline for evolving concussion problems.

The information is then assessed by a hockey neuropsychologist for possible concussion signs.

If a player gets any future blow to the head or other injury where a concussion is possible, they are retested.

Players indicating problems are placed in a return-to-play protocol under physicians' supervision.

Dobbin said he usually has from three to seven players with these issues each year.

That said, not all medical experts approve of the baseline testing for concussions.

Clinicians in some media accounts suggest concussions should be managed entirely by doctors. It is argued some players might be back on the ice before they're ready.

Those interviewed for this story who use baseline testing strongly defend it. They say it flags more players that may not be showing obvious symptoms like headaches.

Qualified doctors are involved when concussion issues are identified, they say.

"It takes the guesswork out of it, in my opinion," Dobbin said, adding leagues that currently rely only on trainers to assess concussions could make good use of testing."

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OHL Announces Changes for 2011-12 Season

"A review of several player safety issues and equipment policies was also on the agenda and led to the decision that all OHL players will wear soft cap shoulder and elbow pads for the 2011-12 season. The decision is made in the interest of player safety and working in partnership with the CHL’s equipment suppliers in an attempt to further reduce the number of head injuries suffered each season. Furthermore in consideration of concussion awareness, the league will continue to reinforce player safety messages through educational videos while member club coaches will be emphasizing proper on-ice awareness. It is also the position of the Board of Governors that the league be more strict in the discipline of players who are repeat offenders for checking to the head.

In a review of the playing rules, a new rule has been implemented for the 2011-12 season which sees an automatic game misconduct and minimum two game suspension applied to any goalkeeper that should leave their crease and enter into an altercation with another goalkeeper, where a five-minute major for fighting is assessed."

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The Canadian Athletic Therapists Association (CATA) and KineMedics are proud to announce that June is National Athletic Therapy Month (NATM)

"The Canadian Athletic Therapists Association (CATA) and KineMedics are proud to announce that June is National Athletic Therapy Month (NATM).

The Canadian Athletic Therapists Association (CATA) is a progressive not-for-profit organization dedicated to the promotion and delivery of the highest quality care to active individuals through injury prevention, emergency services and rehabilitative techniques.

Throughout the month of June the CATA is committed to raising public awareness on the prevention and management of head injuries (concussions) in sport. The CATA and its members are skilled in identifying head injury (concussions) and implementing appropriate management and return to play protocols when they do occur so athletes can safely participate in sport. Head Injuries (concussions) are one of the most difficult injuries to manage in sport today. The CATA strongly encourages all head injuries (concussions) are managed under the supervision of a team of professional sport health practitioners including Certified Athletic Therapists CAT(C), sport physicians and neuropsychologists."

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National Athletic Therapy Month - Baby Your Brain

Every June, Athletic Therapists take the time to raise public awareness and educate everyone about the important role that Athletic Therapy has in sports. This year the theme is "Baby Your Brain" where we focus on the role that Athletic Therapists play with Head Injuries.

Athletic Therapists are often the first line of defense in the prevention, identification and management of head injuries in sport.  Your therapist ensures that you have the proper equipment to protect your head and that techniques are learned and executed safely.  They are skilled in the latest protocols in concussion testing.  And if you are unlucky enough to have sustained one, they help you manage it by providing you with advice and guidance.

Following the concussion sustained by Sydney Crosby, there has been much discussion in the media concerning protection of our athletes and proper protocols.  What typically doesn't make the news is how neuroscience is still in its infancy.  There is still much to learn about the brain, its response to injury and how it recovers.  We continue to learn more with the post-mortem analysis of athletes who have sustained multiple concussions and through experience.  Unfortunately current protocols (CAT scans, MRIs, SCAT test, etc) cannot guarantee a 100% accurate diagnosis and different athletes can respond differently to the same return to play procedure.  Your Athletic Therapist acts based on the most recent research, their experience on the bench/sidelines and protocols established by sports organizations.  A therapist considers your future as a person and not just an athlete.  Decisions are made with the best interest of your health in mind.

As an athlete, there are things that you can do to help protect yourself and with your recovery.  Make sure you are practicing your sport safely and wear the appropriate equipment.  Chin straps are often not secured properly.  They should only allow space for 2 fingers between the strap and the chin.  It is recommended that those in high risk sports (like hockey, rugby, football, etc) take a baseline concussion test.  To learn more about baseline concussion testing, ask your Athletic Therapist.  And of course, follow the advice of your Athletic Therapist and doctor if you have sustained a concussion.

Thank you for reading this blog. Please take the time to thank your Athletic Therapist for the hard work that they have done, and the commitment and dedication to your team or rehab.

8th Annual Heads Up Dinner & Auction

The Manitoba Brain Injury Association and the University of Winnipeg Athletic Therapy Students’ Association, present the 8th Annual “Heads Up Dinner and Auction.” It's a night of live and silent auctions of professional, game-worn helmets, other sports memorabilia, and many more great prizes! The helmets are the 'heads up' in brain injury prevention and awareness! Proceeds support MBIA programming and athletic therapy student scholarships. Guest speaker is Kerry Goulet, director of playitcoolhockey.com.


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Majors fend off the Attack

"Owen Sound, already without star forward Joey Hishon, lost captain Garrett Wilson midway through the first period. Wilson was checked heavily into the boards and wasn’t able to return. Now he and Hishon may not be available for tonight’s game.

“Obviously, the hit on Wilson is a factor for our team,” said Reeds. “Another one of our leadership guys wasn’t able to finish the game.”

Wilson will be evaluated in the morning but Reeds didn’t sound optimistic about his availability when he spoke at a post-game news conference.

“You know, when an athlete starts asking the same question over and over again, then that’s reason to have concern,” said the coach, crediting the decision by team athletic therapist Andy Brown to take Wilson out of the game."

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Concussion symposium next month in Brandon

"An open public-information symposium on preventing concussions in sports is scheduled for June 8 in Brandon.


The session is set to begin at 7 p.m. at the Victoria Inn. Admission is free of charge.


The keynote speaker is athletic therapist and researcher Glen Bergeron.


The panel of athletes will include Brandon's Brayden Cuthbert, who suffered a concussion in January and missed the rest of his first season with the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League."

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Radical changes needed to stop concussions: expert

"(Chris) Nowinski was speaking in Calgary along with Goulet, Calgary Stampeders medical services director Pat Clayton, Dr. Carolyn Emery, professor of pediatric rehabilitation at the University of Calgary, and Brady Greening, the director of health services and head athletic therapist at the Edge School.

All speakers alluded to the fact that children are much more susceptible to concussions. Nowinski said because their brains are developing, they are more sensitive to the excitotoxic shock of a concussion. Other factors are weak necks and torsos that can’t distribute force of the body well, poor equipment, exposure to coaches of various levels of training, and have poor language skills to communicate concussion symptoms.

Helmets are one element in prevention, according to Nowinski, but rule and culture changes also need to be enforced."


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Kevin Elliott talks about the PEI Rockets and concussions

"PEI Rocket athletic therapist Kevin Elliott discusses the rash of concussions in the game and return to game protocol."

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Bettman introduces plan to curb concussions at GM meetings

What are your thoughts?

"The second step would be to revise the current concussion protocol. If a player is suspected of being concussed during a game, that player must then be removed from the bench and taken to a quiet area where the player can be assessed by a medical doctor, who is not the team's athletic therapist. The player will then be given a SCAT test before he is cleared to return to play. Bettman said that this will be in place by the end of the week."

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Don't expect punishment for latest vicious hit

"I have zero faith in the QMJHL's ability to deal with ugly incidents that threaten player safety. This league repeatedly fails to show a backbone and help promote player safety by dishing out harsh punishment when needless violence occurs."
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""He was motionless for a few seconds," said Wildcats athletic therapist Guy Savoie. "I started thinking the worst, but when I got to him his eyes were wide open. He had the stunned look of a deer in the headlights. I started asking him questions and he was responsive.

"Initially, he had no memory of the hit or anything prior to that. His memory has come back and he's recovering nicely. We'll go through the proper protocol for concussions and make sure he's ready before he plays again."

Savoie has noticed an increase in checks from behind and hits to the head since he started working in the QMJHL in 2005-06.

"I would say the respect among players seems to have gone down," he said. "There's a lot more liberties taken now with dangerous hits.""

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No suspension for Chara for hit on Habs’ Pacioretty

What are your thoughts?

"“After a thorough review of the video, I can find no basis to impose supplemental discipline,” NHL senior vice-president of hockey operations Mike Murphy said in a news release.

“This hit resulted from a play that evolved and then happened very quickly — with both players skating in the same direction and with Chara attempting to angle his opponent into the boards. I could not find any evidence to suggest that, beyond this being a correct call for interference, that Chara targeted the head of his opponent, left his feet or delivered the check in any other manner that could be deemed to be dangerous,” the release said.

Pacioretty, 22, suffered a severe concussion and a fracture of the 4th cervical vertebrae, according to Montreal coach Jacques Martin, when his head was run into the end of the glass that divides the players’ benches by Chara late in the second period at Montreal’s Bell Centre."

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Cats' Ted Stephens a victim of vicious cheap shot

"Wildcats athletic therapist Guy Savoie rushed onto the ice to attend to Stephens. I would've interviewed Stephens for this column, but he was too spaced out for that.

"When I got to him, he already had a severe headache," said Savoie. "He was dizzy. He was groggy. He felt like throwing up. At one point, he slipped out of consciousness. That's when I called for the doctor and the other team's therapist.

"We asked him questions about the past, the present and the future. He had no recollection of how he got hit. He didn't remember scoring a goal in the game. He didn't remember who we played against the day before. He didn't remember which city he was in.

"It's his second concussion this season. He's a great kid, a great student and a bright person. I want all our players to do well when they move on from hockey. With hits like that, you hope it doesn't have a long-term effect.""

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Chapman on the mend, but still foggy

"Chapman explained how his teammates told him of the trouble he experienced while trying to get off of the ice that day, and how he needed to be "held up" in order to make it to the Hounds bench.

His teammates also informed him that he was making very little sense while trying to communicate with them and with the coaches and athletic therapist Chris Linder, before being taken to hospital.

"I kind of remember getting checked out at the hospital and I remember my mother (Michelle) picking me up at the hospital," said Chapman, whose mother drove him to the Hounds bus, where he made the return trip to his hockey home. "But it seemed as if It was just a 10-minute bus ride. It felt like we were home before I knew it."

Since then, Chapman, who has two goals and two assists in 37 games in his rookie season, has been bothered by an upset stomach and recurring headaches."

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The suck-it-up culture has to change

"Luc Leblanc, the certified athletic therapist for the Hamilton Bulldogs says the culture is starting to change. “Everybody seems to talk about it (concussions) now.” 

He has been with the Montreal Canadiens organization, which oversees the Bulldogs, for nine years and has noticed a change. He sees about three or four concussions on average every year. He, too, stresses the need for increased awareness."

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Leafs insist Grabovski did not suffer a concussion

"“Our trainer, Andy Playter, is first rate. (He) went right to Grabovski and said: ‘how are you?’ He had total recall. He said that puck hit the crossbar. He had total recall of the situation, no blackout, no loss of memory, no dizziness, no nausea.

“When he (Playter) asked if he was good to go, he (Grabovski) said: ‘Yeah, got it in the jaw.’ No symptoms.”"

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