Youth Concussion Experts Present Free Webinar: “Tackling Concussions” for Athletes, Coaches and Parents

As ongoing research shows the significant impact concussions have on the young, developing brain, parents and coaches of athletes in contact sports continue to ask:

• How many concussions are too many?
• Will concussions cause my child memory problems or dementia down the road?  
• How do I know if it is time to get him/her out of the game? 

Dr. Jeff Mjaanes, Director of the Chicago Sports Concussion Clinic at Rush and a Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush (MOR) sports medicine physician, along with Mike Overturf, President of the Illinois Athletic Trainers Association (IATA) and Jim Osborne, of the Council on Brain Injury and Positive Coaching Alliance, will address those questions and more at a free webinar, “Tackling Concussions,” 7 p.m., Thursday, August 9, 2012. 

Register now to reserve your spot at: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/975294288.

 Sponsored by MOR, IATA, Positive Coaching Alliance and STOP Sports Injuries, this event is free and open to athletes, parents, coaches and athletic trainers nationwide. The event was influenced by a recent survey asking Illinois athletic trainers to report the most common injuries they see in high school athletes.  Results of the study, sponsored by MOR and IATA, showed the top five injuries Illinois high school athletic trainers see are: knee injuries, (ACL, MCL and patella) shoulder overuse/dislocation, concussion, wrist sprain/fractures and back injuries.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), up to 3.8 million athletes will sustain a concussion every year.  Nationwide, emergency department visits for concussions increased 62 percent between 2001 and 2009.  Consequently, there is more public awareness for sports-related concussions and many states are implementing laws to reduce the long-term impact of concussions on the brains of young athletes.  Just over a year ago, Illinois enacted its student-athlete concussion bill, which requires baseline screenings and concussion education for all coaches.

Experts say football players are most at-risk for concussion.  A recently released NFL-commissioned study showed that 6.1 percent of retired players above age 50 reported diagnoses of dementia, Alzheimer’s, or other memory-related diseases, compared to 1.2 percent for comparably aged men in the United States.  The recent suicides of NFL players Ray Easterling, Dave Duerson and Junior Seau and NHL star Wade Belak have drawn even more attention to the long-term effects of multiple concussions and the lasting effects of concussion incurred at a young age.

What may surprise most parents is that a concussion is not a bruise to the brain caused by a hard hit.  Nor does it exhibit physical swelling or bleeding on a brain scan. A concussion actually occurs when the head either accelerates rapidly and then is stopped, or is spun quickly.  A concussion causes the brain cells to fire all of its neurotransmitters haphazardly, flooding the brain with chemicals and impacting certain receptors linked to learning and memory. This can result in confusion, blurred vision, memory loss, nausea and even unconsciousness.  Experts say after each concussion, it takes less impact to cause the injury again and the recovery time takes longer after repeated concussions.

During the one-hour “Tackling Concussions” webinar, Dr. Mjaanes, who has been treating concussions in young athletes for ten years, will discuss the latest research and educate listeners about diagnosing and treating  a concussion..  Overturf, who has been involved in athletic training for 15 years, will discuss preventative strategies and provide information regarding the critical relationship between athletes and their athletic trainers – as well as action taken in Illinois to minimize the incidence of concussions.  Osborne, a 30-year coach and traumatic brain injury professional, will address what coaches need to know.

For more information, visit:  www.rushortho.com.

About Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush

Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush is ranked No. 8 in the nation and is the highest ranked orthopedic program in Illinois, according to U.S. News & World Report. MOR physicians are fellowship trained in subspecialty areas within the field of orthopedic medicine, treating the most common to complex conditions. Their continued research allows MOR physicians to provide the most innovative care to their patients. MOR physicians serve as the team doctors for the Chicago Bulls, Chicago White Sox, and DePaul University, as well as many other professional, collegiate and high school teams and clubs.