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Concussions 101 for Fitness Pros

Concussions 101 for Fitness Pros

This blog is inspired by a conversation I had with a good buddy of mine who is a Strength Coach. He called me about a client who wanted to workout at his facility but was not cleared by their school from a concussion. I was happy that he called before he trained the Athlete and made the symptoms any worse. I then realized that many fitness professional do not get any continuing education on concussion. I feel it is an extremely important topic and just wanted to give a brief overview on what things you should look for and how to protect yourself from potentially being sued. There are many factors to a concussion but we will keep this as SIMPLE as possible.

WHAT IS A CONCUSSION ( SIGNS/SYMPTOMS):
Let us start by talking about what a concussion is. A concussion is a Brain INJURY. Therefore we treat it like any other injury. If an Athlete breaks their arm you will cast it for 4 weeks and when the cast is off you would slowly return them to play. There is a process involved. The same caution, if not MORE, should be taken with a Brain injury. The brain affects all functions of the body. Below is a list of symptoms that an Athlete might display while having a concussion:

Common signs and symptoms of a concussion:

Signs (observed by others)

·         Athlete appears dazed, stunned, or disoriented

·         Forgets plays

·         Unsure of the game, score, or opponent

·         Difficulties with balance or coordination

·         Personality changes

·         Responds slowly to questions

·         Cannot remember events prior to or after the hit

·         Lost of consciousness (any duration)



Symptoms

·         Headache

·         Nausea/vomiting

·         Dizziness

·         Double vision or changes in vision

·         Sensitivity to light or sound/noise

·         Feeling of sluggishness or fogginess

·         Problems concentrating

·         Problems remembering

·         Irritability or agitation

·         Depression or anxiety

·         Problems sleeping



HOW DO YOU GET A CONCUSSION?:

There are many ways to get a concussion. It is not just from a blow to the head. An athlete can fall on the ground and get a concussion from the force of the fall.  Think of the brain as an egg in the shell. Any outside force or trauma to the body can cause the brain to be bounced around and the athlete may get a concussion.

WHAT DO YOU DO IF A CLIENT HAS/HAD A CONCUSSION:

You should do NOTHING. They must have a note from a qualified doctor. I say qualified because many doctors are not welled versed in brain injuries. 

WHEN DO THEY RETURN TO TRAINING?

 This is the protocol we use at my school. An Athlete must be 1 week (7 days) symptom free.  After the week is up, they must follow a strict 4 day return to activity protocol. Below is the protocol we follow. You must see a note from someone who has taken them thru this type of protocol or a note from a Neurologist saying that they can train again. NO NOTE NO WORKOUT!

Date Started: _______________



Rest until 1 week asymptomatic    _________________________

Day 1)Aerobic exercise 60- 80% of Max Heart Rate _________________

Day 2)Treadmill, jogging 60-80% of Max Heart Rate  _________________

Day 3)Sport –specific exercise                        __________________________

Day 4)Non-contact practice or drills               ___________________________

Day 5) Return to full contact practice or game __________________________

*If at any point doing the return to play protocol symptoms return you must stop and return to day 1.



            One of the many dangers of a concussion is Second Impact Syndrome. This occurs when the person gets a second blow to the brain while still not recovered from the first concussion. For more details and how deadly this could be, watch the link below.

http://youtu.be/f0xJT53SZqQ

This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to concussion. My theory is, when in doubt sit them out. If you are training someone who is returning from a concussion be sure they have proper documentation. I would also contact their schools Athletic Trainer to be sure they are cleared for activity. If at any time during the workout they feel any of the symptoms listed earlier, they must STOP the session immediately.  If you have any questions feel free to email me at flofitness@gmail.com. Hope this can help you out.

               

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