Concussion is a mild form of brain injury that can occur from a direct contact injury to the head or a high acceleration force applied to the body that results in rapid head movement. Loss of consciousness is not required to suffer a concussion. Concussion can be very mild ranging from “seeing stars” or blurred vision to extreme including memory loss, balance dysfunction and repeated concussion or mismanagement of concussion can also lead to death.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend utilizing a toolkit to educate schools, parents, athletes, and clinicians. Our physical therapy staff are trained for concussion management and have passed the CDC Heads Up to Clinicians training. We recommend that athletes receive routine examination to determine baseline performance of motor skills including athletic-based movements as well as memory/recall, reaction time, coordination, dual tasking (a motor and mental test simultaneously performed), and balance to allow for capturing what is “normal” for a given athlete. This then best allows for detection of abnormal performance that may present after injury, including concussion. Having the baseline data for comparison, athletes can be appropriately managed and safely returned to activity without such a high risk of secondary injury or without risk of poor performance. This testing can be performed in our clinic.
Concussion may be considered a mild brain injury, but it can have serious and lasting consequence. Use appropriate safety equipment and do not return to play if there is a suspected head injury until seeking appropriate care by a trained professional.
STOP Sports Injuries- Baseball and Softball
PRA has joined the STOP Sports Injuries campaign sponsored by the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine which is supported by the Sports Section of the American Physical Therapy Association. As a collaborating organization Professional Rehab Associates is proud to share media from the campaign which can be found by clicking on the attached PDF files. This information will also be shared in events around the community and within our clinic.
Our first formal event will be held at the Radford Recreation Center on April 10, 2013 at 7PM. We will be promoting injury risk reduction strategies for Radford Parks and Recreation Department Baseball and Softball participants.
Overuse injuries can be very painful and can limit how an athlete plays, if they are even able to play at all. Proper training and proper form and mechanics can significantly reduce the risk of injury. Reducing pitching and throwing volume and encouraging rest can help manage players’ symptoms.
Please see the attached for more information.
Baseball Final w Logo(sh)
Softball Final_v2 with Logo