Post-Concussion Return-To-Play and Injury Reduction

February 17, 2022, Kitchener, Ontario

Posted by: Robert Deutschmann, Personal Injury Lawyer

Concussion is a brain injury that is very common in young athletes. The move to taking them seriously has resulted in return-to-play protocols throughout amateur and professional sport. As we have learned more about the cognitive and physical impacts of concussion, we have made some surprising observations.

Athletes who have been cleared to return to sport following a concussion are at greater risk of subsequent injuries from sport. These injuries include sprained ankles and ACL tears. The researchers at the Children’s Hospital of Colorado have set out to understand the risks the post-concussion athletes face and to establish mitigation techniques for them.

Many athletes who suffer concussion have persistent trouble with balance, posture, and reaction times which makes them more vulnerable from an injury perspective

The study examined the use of neuromuscular training intervention. Preliminary results showed that those who underwent the training were 3.6 times less likely to be injured than those who didn’t receive the training. Training for the athletes consisted of a progressive exercise routine with emphasis on core strength training, balance, posture, attention, functional adaptability and multi-tasking physically.

The study concluded that “Although preliminary, our findings suggest that an NMT intervention initiated after return-to-play clearance may significantly reduce sports-related time-loss injuries over the subsequent year.”

In the Canadian context there are estimates that 1 in 10 youth athletes suffer concussion every year. This means that an extraordinarily high number of children are then exposed to the risk of a far higher rate of secondary injury requiring orthopedic intervention.

If you feel that your child has been seriously injured in an accident involving organized sport, cycling or a car accident due to someone else’s negligence please today. It’s more important than ever to secure your child’s future.

According to the Mayo Clinic these are signs of concussion. If you believe your child has a concussion you should seek medical advice immediately.

Symptoms in children

Head trauma is very common in young children. But concussions can be difficult to recognize in infants and toddlers because they can't describe how they feel. Concussion clues may include:

• Dazed appearance
• Listlessness and tiring easily
• Irritability and crankiness
• Loss of balance and unsteady walking
• Excessive crying
• Change in eating or sleeping patterns
• Lack of interest in favorite toys
• Vomiting
• Seizures

About Deutschmann Law

Deutschmann Law serves South-Western Ontario with offices in Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Woodstock, Brantford, Stratford and Ayr. The law practice of Robert Deutschmann focuses almost exclusively in personal injury and disability insurance matters. For more information, please visit www.deutschmannlaw.com or call us at 1-519-742-7774.

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