Sports-Related Conference on Concussion & Spine Injury

Presented by:  Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Children's Hospital Boston

When: May 27, 2011

Where: Fenway Park Boston MA

Time: 7am registration, 8 am welcome remarks, 8:15-3:30 guest lecturers

I had this written and was just saving it for the right time- I think now is the right time. Many of you may have seen the news just this week about the Northfield JV player who was sustained a concussion when he was hit in head with a soft style baseball. He went home with his parents and ended up med flighted as he became unresponsive- certainly shows the serioussness of concussions!

Concussion management is an increasingly hot topic that is changing fast- whether its the new Massachusetts state laws, NCAA, NFL, NHL and many other oganizations whom are all following carefully and putting new policies in place regarding management and return to play guidelines.

As many of you know, we here at BSU have begun using the ImPACT program- a concussion testing program that tests various cognitive and visual skills that are often untested with the traditional questions we typically ask such as "count backwards from 50 by 7" or "remember these words". The ImPACT test is a very comprehensive test that shows us red flags of concussion symptoms to either a norm or compared to the athletes baseline test- both very reliable. This has proven to be very successful for us here at BSU in detecting concussions that we may not have previously.

The NHL has put in place a requirement for all potential concussions sit in a "quiet place" for observation by the team physician and/or athletic trainer prior to a return to play decision is made. Quite a bit of discussion going on regardign this for sure in the sports world. The NFL certainly also was followed closely this past season regarding their return to play policies for players, some circumstances where even those sitting on the couch watching can tell something is not right with a player following a hit to the head.

We are lucky enough to live in an area with some of the top hospitals and doctors in the world right here in Boston. One of these doctors is Dr. Cantu- argueably the most prominent and successful neurologists regarding concussions in the world. The 8th annual Sports Related Conference on Concussion and Spine Injury  is beign held here in Boston at Fenway park- a much see for everyone involved with coaching and treating and argueably even administrators in athletics to see. I do not recommend many conferences to coaches regarding injuries but this by far is one I would highly recommend and encourage you to attend. Here at BSU we are not as effected by the Massachusetts Laws but if you also are involved in youth sports, clinics, high school and middle school teams, club teams, etc., this certainly effects you. Become educated and potentially save the life of a student-athlete.