Concussion Risks Plague Amateur and Pro Athletes—Sports Reaction Center Offers Solution With Concussion Management Program

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• USA - English

Bellevue, WA (PRWEB) October 29, 2013 -- Concussions have become a hot topic among athletes of all levels, especially among professionals—the National Football League (NFL) recently settled a $765 million lawsuit after 4,500 current and former players sued the organization over concussion-related injuries (1). But Sports Reaction Center (SRC), a sports physical therapy center that attracts amateur and professional athletes both locally and nationally, says amateur athletes are also not immune—due to the growing concern about the permanent effects of concussions, SRC has developed an innovative concussion management program designed to help maintain an athlete’s current and long-term wellbeing.

While the dangers of concussions have received widespread media coverage due to the NFL’s legal case, concussions are also prominent among young, amateur athletes. The number of sports- and recreation-related emergency room visits for traumatic brain injuries—including concussions—was estimated at 248,418 for people aged 10-19 in 2009, the most recent year for which data is available (2). Recent studies show that damage to the brain by concussions can persist for decades after the original trauma, and older athletes who experienced head trauma had symptoms similar to those of early Parkinson’s disease, as well as memory and attention deficits (3).

Per SRC founder Neil Chasan, when athletes return to play on the same day as their initial concussion, they risk a repeat concussion and experiencing Prolonged Post Concussion Syndrome and Second Impact Syndrome—both of which can cause serious and lasting symptoms such as cognitive difficulties and brain damage and/or swelling.

SRC’s Concussion Management Program was created to counteract and reduce the chances of an athlete complicating a head injury. SRC uses ImPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) and BESS (Balance Error Scoring Testing) to understand multiple measures of cognitive function. The program effectively provides a baseline that provides data on an athlete’s normal brain function, which can then be compared to post-concussion testing in order to determine when they can safely return to action. Baseline testing, per Chasan, is an ideal way to supervise concussions.

“Young athletes should never to return to play on the same day as the injury,” Chasan said. “The risks of concussions are serious, and the injury calls for close attention from professionals who understand how to effectively treat them.”

If one is diagnosed with a concussion, or is suspected to have sustained one, Chasan says that it is important to have testing done to determine when it’s safe to return to play.

“One concussion alone can lead to numerous problems, but multiple concussions almost guarantee long-term side effects,” Chasan said. “But this can be avoided with appropriate testing—extreme caution is important, especially when dealing with potential brain injuries.”

For more information on the services offered by Sports Reaction Center, visit http://www.srcpt.com.

About the Sports Reaction Center (SRC):

Based in Bellevue, Washington, and attracting athletes of all levels from the Bellevue, Seattle, Kirkland and Redmond areas, as well as from around the United States, Sports Reaction Center provides concussion management service for youth football, adult and youth rugby, and for individuals. Sports Reaction Center (SRC) was founded by Neil Chasan in 1997. SRC performs sports physical therapy services that incorporate innovative technologies such as Dynavision, Core Control Cooling Systems, and the NASA-developed Alter-G. The clinic additionally offers concussion management and biomechanical assessment. SRC’s clients include multiple athletes who have qualified for the Olympic trials in Track and Field, as well as marathoner Mike Sayenko, Olympic hurdler Virginia Powell, and NFL, NBA and MLB players. The clinic also works with area organizations such as Club Northwest, VO2 Multisports, and the Seattle Rugby Club. A graduate of the University of Washington’s physical therapy program in 1982, Chasan has consulted with members of the High Performance Team at U.S. Olympic Training Center, U.S. Rugby Sports Medicine, and Alter G. Chasan is the author of the book Total Conditioning for Golfers, and the creator of the video “The Swing Reaction System”. He has also published “Pain Free Back”, an iPhone application. A clinical faculty member of the University of Washington’s physical therapy program since 1990, Chasan teaches and consults with physical therapists around the world.

1.Campbell, LaMar C. “NFL Concussion Settlement Raises Questions.” Cnn.com. Cable News Network, 9 Sept. 2013. Web. 18 Oct. 2013. cnn.com/2013/09/08/opinion/campbell-nfl-lawsuit/.

2.Olson, Eric. “Youth Sports Organizations Team up on Concussions. ” Abcnews.go.com. ABC News Network, 7 Oct. 2013. Web. 18 Oct. 2013. abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/youth-sports-organizations-team-concussions-20489577.

3.Nordqvist, Joseph. “Concussions Cause Long-Term Effects.” Medicalnewstoday.com. MediLexicon International, 18 Feb. 2013. Web. 18 Oct. 2013. medicalnewstoday.com/articles/256518.php.

Karla Jo Helms, JoTo PR, 888-202-4614 Ext: 802, [email protected]