Concussion Flashcards
(21 cards)
Clinical presentation
-pain, dizziness, anxiety, confusion, upset, anger
-cognitive defects, unaware
-memory
-lack of concentration
-motor deficits like lack of balance or control
What happens to HRV after concussion?
Variability becomes less, which is not desirable
Emergency situations
-skull fractures
-inercranial hematoma
-severe and worsening headache
-vomiting
-impaired pupil reactivity to light
-fluid leaks and bruising
Why is energy demand elevated in a concussed brain?
-sodium potassium pumps overworked to return homeostasis (ion imbalance with sodium, potassium and calcium)
Why is it difficult for this energy demand to be met?
-mitochondria capacity is lowered due to influx of calcium
-turn to glycolysis system, needs blood flow but is lacking
What impact did mouthguard use have on SRC rates? Provide the IRR and how it is interpreted.
IRR: 0.74 (injury rate ratio reduced by 26%)
Average number of days before a person becomes symptom free
14 days
How may days does it take to return to sport
On average 20 days
What 3 types of training systems were evaluated in this work?
Vision training, core training, neuromuscular training
What conclusions did the authors
draw when evaluating the effects of full visors and half visors?
SRC rates no change, but severity may be reduced and protects against oro-facial injuries
How many stages are in the return to sport strategy?
6
Activities in 1st stage
Daily activities like walking
Length of each stage
At least 24 hours
Heart rate goal in stage 2
55% HR max, then up to 70%
Which stages allow for mild symptom exacerbation?
Stages 1 to 3, exertion and potential for head contact increases beyond stage 3. Symptoms can increase by 2 (on a scale of 10) for less than one hour, without impacting progression to the next stage
When not to use Buffalo concussion treadmill protocol
Within 24 hours of injury or when severity of symptoms is a 7/10 or higher
What should be measured before BCT
HR, VAS for symptoms
What is measured every min in BCTT?
HR, VAS, RPE
Increasing challenge of BCTT
Increase incline by 1% every min
Reasons to stop BCTT test
VAS symptom rating ↑ by 3 or more, RPE exceeds 17 (out of 20) without significant exacerbation (exhaustion), athlete has reached
90% or more of age-predicted max HR without increase in symptoms
What will the athlete’s exercise protocol look like?
Provide the specific variables for frequency, intensity and duration
Exercise five times per week for 20 to 30 minutes at a heart rate ~ 80% to 90% of their HR reached at symptom threshold during the initial test. For example, if they reached 140 bpm on testing, their training HR would be ~112 to 125
