The concussion: new enemy of sports? Par Xavier Roy, B.Sc., CSCS
During my last academic session at the University of Sherbrooke, I regularly traveled the distance between Montreal and Sherbrooke and at least once a week I had the chance to listen to the show Sport to bed CKAC Sports . Gabriel Gregory, one of the hosts, is a former professional football player with the Montreal Alouettes and campaigned for over a year to educate people about the dangers of head blows and concussions brain. There more and more shots to the head resulting in concussions. One need only think of his shoulder for Matt Cooke to the place of Marc Savard last year has been hit or Sidney Crosby during the last Winter Classic. Marc Savard is not the shadow of the player he was and Crosby is sidelined indefinitely. However, the phenomenon is much stronger than we think, because it affects even young athletes, both recreational than competitive. The subject is so present in the news only last fall in Montreal, held a symposium on concussion; event to which I wish to attend. Today, the newspaper La Presse devotes a file into three parts. To educate athletes about the dangers of this new adversary in the short and long term, I propose an article on this informative trauma that can be sneaky and carries serious consequences.
What is a concussion?
The concussion or traumatic brain injury, is an acute brain injury resulting from a transfer of energy from a source external to the skull of an individual and the underlying structures (Labrecque 2008). In other words, there is an impact to the head (shoulder strike, slashing, collision, crash, etc.). Whose force of this impact is transferred and absorbed by the skull. This results in a change of the normal functions of the brain following the displacement of the brain inside the skull.
What actually happens?
According to Dr.
. Suzanne Leclerc McGill (Masson, 2000), when an athlete receives a blow to the jaw or head, there is a potential risk of concussion. The brain then comes up against the wall and cranial impact creates a dysfunction of nerve cells, most often in chemical functions (ThinkFirst Canada, unknown). During the moments and days that follow, the nerve function of the brain is affected negatively and it remains vulnerable to other impacts that may arise. Other injuries have cumulative effects and we do not yet know what these effects will be long term.
What are the symptoms?
Although often seen players lose consciousness following severe trauma, there are several other symptoms that may indicate the presence of a concussion. Often, an athlete can suffer a concussion without realizing it. Among the symptoms listed, there is headache, confusion, memory loss, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and sensitivity to light, among others (ThinkFirst Canada, unknown). In addition, other changes in the behavior of the athlete may leave some doubt that he suffered a concussion. One suspects a concussion when the athlete loses his ability to play, suffers from loss of balance and / or sleep disorders, is unable to perform daily tasks and / or has difficulty concentrating.
Once the player has one or more of these symptoms, it is advisable to remove the athlete from play and an assessment of his condition. To assess amnesia post-traumatic, the therapist now asks the athlete to recall the events to remember the first thing after the impact and the last thing before impact. Then, he asks questions to verify his memory. Asked team he plays against it, which team scored the last point, the last team against which the team played, etc.. Thereafter, he was asked what day are we, what month of the year, date, time, time in the match, which runs the game, etc.. (Labrecque 2008). The responses will help us diagnosis at the time, but it is important to note the evolution of symptoms in the moments and hours after the incident. Moreover, it is important to consult a health professional to establish the strategy to follow if the presence of a concussion.
If concussion is diagnosed, what to do?
Return to play following a concussion is progressive, that is to say that all symptoms must be missing and restored neurological function before considering a comeback. Usually, symptoms disappear after 7-10 days or may last longer depending on the severity of the trauma. The first thing to do is stop all activity and take complete rest. When symptoms have disappeared for a period exceeding 24 hours, we can begin the practice of light aerobic exercise such as walking or stationary cycling. If symptoms return, return to square one. If the second stage goes well, we can move forward in sports specific specific sport like running or skating. At the fourth stage, resumed the practice exercises skill contactless and we may reinstate the practice of bodybuilding. The fifth step is to practice non-contact sport . For example, a football player could run a full practice with his teammates but did not have permission to experience contacts. The last step is a complete return to the practice of the activity (Labrecque, 2008; Provencher, unknown).
Conclusion
Although some symptoms may seem trivial, the effects of a concussion may be minimal in the short term. However, if one is not attentive to the symptoms and we accumulate the number of concussions in our athletic careers, both competitive and recreational, who knows the long-term consequences that may hide. United States, a research group founded by Chris Nowinski, a former WWE wrestler, looks at the effects of concussions in the long term by examining the brains of soccer players and wrestlers who have died, among others. The team at BU Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy (CSTE) has identified particular proteins in the brains of those old glories that indicate early degeneration of the brain and its neurological functions. For example, analysis of the brain of wrestler Chris Benoit, who committed suicide after murdering his wife and young son, revealed that the latter, then aged in her mid-thirties, had a brain whose brain function was equivalent to that of a person over 80 years. This is due to the large number of concussions he suffered in his career. This is therefore not a case of "roid rage " which would have led Chris Benoit to commit his acts, but for dementia due to the effects of multiple concussions (Report on the BU Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy ). In short, this article reveals the potentially dangerous blows to the head can have on physical and mental health of athletes. Whether you are yourself an athlete, parent or coach, be vigilant with regard to concussions. Better to take the time necessary to mortgage his career and his life for a few more appearances for a game.
Sources:
Labrecque, S. (2008). Lecture Notes - Sports Traumatology. University of Sherbrooke. Sherbrooke. 217 pages.
