lec 21 - concussion Flashcards
what is the mechanism of a concussion
TBI induced by biomechanical forces
can be caused by either a direct blow to the head, face, neck, or elsewhere on the body with a force transmitted to the head
why do concussions occur
combo of both linear and rotational accelerations (rotational is worse)
what is a concussion
rapid onset neuronal dysfunction
often resolves in a spontaneous manner over a few days-weeks
(don’t result in structural injuries - can’t be seen on CT/MRI)
what are the long term effects of concussion
risks for disease / mental illnesses (low)
majority report functioning to be similar to gen pop
no evidence to support absolute indications of retirement / stopped participation in contact / collision sports
what is the most consistent risk factor for concussion in youth hockey
body checking
(rule change = concussions down)
what are the 4 steps of sport injury prevention research
- surveillance (extent of problem)
- find the risk factors
- develop an intervention
- introduce the intervention
what are the levels of prevention
primary = healthy, prevent or reduce the risk
secondary = early diagnosis / prevention of injury recurrence
tertiary = rehab - preventing long term conseqeunces of injury
what are the conseqeunces of concussion in youth
decreased participation in sport and rec, school attendance, academic performance, PA
increased weight
psychosocial
high health care and indirect costs
what is the acute management and rehab for a concussion
remove from play
not left alone - regular monitoring
medically evaluated
medically advised RTS
don’t RTS while symptomatic
take into account long term mental health
what happens after the brief period of rest during the acute phase (24-48 hours)
encouraged to become gradually and progressively more active
stay below cognitive and physical symptom exacerbation thresholds
activity shouldn’t bring on or worsen symptoms
what is the relationship between concussion symptoms and isolated recovery symptoms
very similar to one another
SCAT symptoms = isolation symptoms
what is the SCAT
sport concussion assessment tool
- standarised tool for evaluating a suspected concussion
what is the difference between kids and adults in concussion recovery
adults = most recover spontaneously over initial 10-14 days
kids = longer recoveries (14-28), higher percentage with persistent symptoms
why do kids and adults have different concussion recoveries
kids often present with more cognitive symptoms
adults often present with more physical symptoms
adolescent brain is still developing with incomplete myelination
weaker support muscles for the head and neck in kids
