Shannon Medical Center | Health Beat | Fall 2019

Fall 2019 7 Brain health Smart play A s we welcome fall weather in West Texas, we also begin a new season of youth sports—football, soccer, cheer- leading and volleyball—all activities that teach important life lessons about teamwork, sportsmanship, confidence, time management, commitment and more. But along with these many benefits, youth sports also come with some risk of injury, including concussion. Over the years, increased education and aware- ness within schools and the community—as well as more athletic trainers covering events—have led to significant increase in the number of treated concussions. It is estimated that 2 in 10 high school athletes will experience a concussion this year. Of the patients treated at the Shannon Concussion Clinic last year, 68% were between the ages of 12 and 20.The perception is that the majority of these injuries occur during tackle football, but concussions have many causes. Last year, 30% were caused by non-sport accidents, followed by football (26%), basketball (8%), soc- cer (5%), volleyball (2%), cheerleading (2%) and baseball (2%). WHAT TO WATCH FOR A concussion is caused by a blow or bump to the head, neck, chest or other area on the body that jolts the brain.This fast movement can shake the brain or cause it to bounce around or twist in the skull.This creates chemical changes in the brain and sometimes stretches and damages the brain cells. The Shannon Concussion Clinic assists area schools with proper concussion care and treat- ment for student athletes.The Concussion Clinic works with Shannon Sports Medicine and the Shannon Brain and Spine Institute to facilitate diagnoses and assist athletes in returning to their normal activities and the field. There are several signs and symptoms that could indicate someone has a concussion, including: ●  ● Headache ●  ● Nausea ●  ● Balance problems or dizziness m play ●  ● Double or fuzzy vision ●  ● Sensitivity to light or noise ●  ● Feeling sluggish or “foggy” ●  ● Changes in sleep pattern ●  ● Concentration or memory problems Additionally, coaches or parents may notice other signs in their athlete, such as appearing to be dazed, stunned or confused; forgetting plays or events during the game; losing consciousness; and answering questions slowly. “When a concussion happens, we depend a lot on our trainers and our coaches who are on the fields with the kids to recognize the injury,” says Andrew King, DO, CAQSM. “Immediately they will pull the kid out from play and not let them return. We will then see those athletes in our Concussion Clinic for further assessment. For our younger athletes, we encourage parents to contact our office and set up an assessment visit if they observe symptoms in their child after a hit to the head.” Treatment of a concussion involves eliminat- ing certain activities that stress the brain and may vary for each individual. Treatment may include no texting, television or video games, along with modifications in the classroom setting. It is up to parents to make sure these rules are enforced at home as well. Dr. King stresses that individuals must be 100% recovered before being sent back to sports or the classroom to prevent long-term damage to the brain. TOP TECHNOLOGY FOR TOP-NOTCH CARE Shannon’s Concussion Clinic strives to use the latest technology available to help provide the highest level of care for area athletes. Last year, the clinic implemented C3 Logix, a neurological assessment tool that provides the most com- prehensive assessment available.The platform is available to the entire concussion treatment team, so physicians, physical therapists, athletic train- ers and coaches can work collaboratively to assess and treat each individual.The program can even be used directly on the sidelines—via a tablet—by a certified athletic trainer or physician. C3 Logix assesses several factors, including reaction time, memory, processing speed, mo- tor function, vision and balance, to provide a “big picture” of how the brain is functioning. A treat- ment plan is then individualized for the child. C3 Logix helps establish objective data to determine each individual’s readiness to return to the class- room and the field of play. “The C3 Logix system, originated at Cleveland Clinic’s Concussion Center, is now the standard for many NCAA Division 1 universities as well as the UFC and NFL,” Dr. King says. “Shannon is currently the only sports medicine program in West Texas to offer this system to the athletes of our region.” KEEPING AN EYE ON PROGRESS The Clinic also implemented a new technology called composite balance score (CBS) to aid in quicker treatment of concussions. “Many of our concussion patients suffer from vestibular symptoms, which is dizziness,” says Dr. King. “They get headaches when they read or try to do rapid eye movements where they’re looking down at their desk and looking up at the board.The CBS system is a balance plate that has a built-in exercise program to help with that vestibular rehab.” The CBS system includes three exercises that take about 15 minutes to complete. While the child stands on the board, it checks their balance and then leads them through interactive mazes using their movement and balance. It takes very detailed scientific measurements in the back- ground to determine how the child is progressing with treatment. “It gives very detailed data on what their bal- ance is like when their eyes are open, what their balance is like when their eyes are closed,” says Dr. King. “It has normative data, what it should look like in someone who’s not concussed, so you can compare and know when the child is getting back to where he was when he started.” Those needing more intense or formal therapy may be referred to the Shannon Neurotherapy Clinic for additional treatment with specially trained neurotherapists. “Ninety percent of concussions resolve within a week,” says Dr. King. “If not, it is important they have time to properly heal. I think the most important thing to understand about concussions is that kids may not always look as sick or injured as they really are. We work as a team with train- ers and the coaches and the schools to guide their return to play and classroom in a very strategic way for the best outcome for each child.” Shannon Concussion Clinic 2237 S. Jackson St. San Angelo, TX 76904 Know your concussion game plan For more information or to inquire about a concussion evaluation, call 325-481-2036 .