Steve Podborski is Still a Canadian Hero

November 06, 2018, Kitchener, Ontario

Posted by: Robert Deutschmann, Personal Injury Lawyer

We are becoming increasingly aware of the long-term impacts of concussion and traumatic brain injury on people. The euphemisms have disappeared. We no longer say that athletes are punch drunk, or that they saw stars. We recognize that the injuries of concussion are serious and many times irreparable and not evident for years.

Steve Podborski is now relating his story. After a brilliant ski season winning Olympic Bronze in 1980, he was named to the order of Canada in 1982. As one of the ‘Crazy Canucks’ he was a celebrated Canadian hero and the CN tower was lit up with his name. An incredible downhill skier, he was apparently invincible and fearless. The giant falls on the hill were shaken off by athletes, and when the bones healed the skiers were back at it. There was no thought given to their brains.

Today he works as the CEO for Parachute Canada, a non-profit working to reduce preventable injuries in day-to-day life. Parachute released their detailed Concussion protocol earlier this year and it was adopted by over 40 sporting organizations in Canada. Sports from boxing to running have come on board and the organizations are filtering the protocols down from national to local levels to keep athletes safe from the horrible impacts of concussion.

I wrote about the concussion protocols in July 2017, and I am writing about them again. I firmly believe that we need to help our children grow up safe and healthy and part of this equation is to prevent brain injury and to recognize when to stop play and start care.

Here is the outline of the resources available on the Parachute website. Please, click through to read what you can do help implement the use of these guidelines in your sport.

Canadian Guideline on Concussion in Sport

The Canadian Guideline on Concussion in Sport has been developed to ensure that athletes with a suspected concussion receive timely and appropriate care, and proper management to allow them to return to their sport.

Developed by Parachute and its Expert Advisory Concussion Subcommittee, the Guideline is based on a review of the current scientific evidence and expert consensus on best practices for the evaluation and management of Canadian athletes who sustain a concussion during a sport activity.

This Guideline addresses 7 key areas:

1. Pre-season education
2. Head injury recognition
3. Onsite medical assessment
4. Medical assessment
5. Concussion management
6. Multidisciplinary concussion care
7. Return to sport

Funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada, this Guideline is an important part of the Parachute-led Concussion Protocol Harmonization Project and creates the foundation for a more consistent approach to concussion across the country.

Who should use this Guideline?

This Guideline is intended for use by all stakeholders who interact with athletes inside and outside the context of school and non-school based organized sports activity, including athletes, parents, coaches, officials, teachers, trainers, and licensed healthcare professionals.

Download the Guideline

The Guideline is free to download and use. Below are links to view or download the Guideline as a whole or in sections. There are also links to the individual documents and tools.

Full Version

Complete Guideline

Sections

• Overview (including Key Term Definitions)
• Guideline Recommendations
• Canadian Sport Concussion Pathway
• Guideline Development Process
  • Methodology: 5th International Consensus Conference on Concussion in Sport
• Appendix: Documents and Tools

Documents and Tools

• Pre-Season Concussion Education Sheet
• Medical Assessment Letter
• Medical Clearance Letter
• Concussion Recognition Tool 5 (CRT5)
• Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 5 (SCAT5)
• Child Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 5 (Child SCAT 5)

 

Apply the Guideline: Develop Your Protocol

These resources are free to download and use.

• Canadian Harmonized Sport Concussion Protocol Template
• Canadian Harmonized Sport Concussion Protocol Checklist
• Sport-Specific Return-to-Sport Strategy Adaptation Tool

Other Concussion Resources

• International Consensus Statement on Concussion in Sport
• Parachute - Concussion
• Parachute - Resources Page
• Parachute - Statement on Concussion Baseline Testing in Canada

Other Concussion Guidance

• Guidelines for Diagnosing and Managing Pediatric Concussion
• Guidelines for Concussion/mTBI & Persistent Symptoms: Second Edition
• Standards for Post-Concussion Care 

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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