Foundations Of Sport Related Brain Injuries

In summarizing current insights and controversies over concussions in athletics, this book makes the vital point that symptom resolution does not necessarily mean injury resolution. Research shows that dysfunctional pathways continue for extended periods even after a minor concussion. Until the consequences of short-term perturbations and long-term residual brain dysfunctions are better understood, concussions must be treated with respect and given a higher priority for continued research activity.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains a significant source of death and permanent disability, contributing to nearly one-third of all injury related deaths in the United States and exacting a profound personal and economic toll. Despite the increased resources that have recently been brought to bear to improve our understanding of TBI, the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches has been disappointingly slow. Translational Research in Traumatic Brain Injury attempts to integrate expertise from across specialties to address knowledge gaps in the field of TBI. Its chapters cover a wide scope of TBI research in five broad areas: Epidemiology Pathophysiology Diagnosis Current treatment strategies and sequelae Future therapies Specific topics discussed include the societal impact of TBI in both the civilian and military populations, neurobiology and molecular mechanisms of axonal and neuronal injury, biomarkers of traumatic brain injury and their relationship to pathology, neuroplasticity after TBI, neuroprotective and neurorestorative therapy, advanced neuroimaging of mild TBI, neurocognitive and psychiatric symptoms following mild TBI, sports-related TBI, epilepsy and PTSD following TBI, and more. The book integrates the perspectives of experts across disciplines to assist in the translation of new ideas to clinical practice and ultimately to improve the care of the brain injured patient.

In the past decade, few subjects at the intersection of medicine and sports have generated as much public interest as sports-related concussions - especially among youth. Despite growing awareness of sports-related concussions and campaigns to educate athletes, coaches, physicians, and parents of young athletes about concussion recognition and management, confusion and controversy persist in many areas. Currently, diagnosis is based primarily on the symptoms reported by the individual rather than on objective diagnostic markers, and there is little empirical evidence for the optimal degree and duration of physical rest needed to promote recovery or the best timing and approach for returning to full physical activity. Sports-Related Concussions in Youth: Improving the Science, Changing the Culture reviews the science of sports-related concussions in youth from elementary school through young adulthood, as well as in military personnel and their dependents. This report recommends actions that can be taken by a range of audiences - including research funding agencies, legislatures, state and school superintendents and athletic directors, military organizations, and equipment manufacturers, as well as youth who participate in sports and their parents - to improve what is known about concussions and to reduce their occurrence. Sports-Related Concussions in Youth finds that while some studies provide useful information, much remains unknown about the extent of concussions in youth; how to diagnose, manage, and prevent concussions; and the short- and long-term consequences of concussions as well as repetitive head impacts that do not result in concussion symptoms. The culture of sports negatively influences athletes' self-reporting of concussion symptoms and their adherence to return-to-play guidance. Athletes, their teammates, and, in some cases, coaches and parents may not fully appreciate the health threats posed by concussions. Similarly, military recruits are immersed in a culture that includes devotion to duty and service before self, and the critical nature of concussions may often go unheeded. According to Sports-Related Concussions in Youth, if the youth sports community can adopt the belief that concussions are serious injuries and emphasize care for players with concussions until they are fully recovered, then the culture in which these athletes perform and compete will become much safer. Improving understanding of the extent, causes, effects, and prevention of sports-related concussions is vitally important for the health and well-being of youth athletes. The findings and recommendations in this report set a direction for research to reach this goal.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) in sports has become an important international public health issue over the past two decades. However, until recently, return to play decisions following a sports-related traumatic brain injury have been based on anecdotal evidence and have not been based on scientifically validated clinical protocols. Over the past decade, the field of Neuropsychology has become an increasingly important component of the return to play decision making process following TBI. Neuropsychological assessment instruments are increasingly being adapted for use with athletes throughout the world and the field of sports neuropsychology appears to be a rapidly evolving subspecialty. This book provides a comprehensive overview of the application of neuropsychological assessment instruments in sports, and it is structured to present a global perspective on contemporary research. In addition to a review of current research, Traumatic Brain Injury in Sports: An International Neuropsychological Perspective, presents a thorough review of current clinical models that are being implemented internationally within American and Australian rules football, soccer, boxing, ice hockey, rugby and equestrian sports.

Sport’s "concussion crisis" has been characterized by controversial scientific discoveries, athlete suicides, and high-profile lawsuits involving professional sports leagues, while provoking widespread media coverage, changes to game rules, and debate about the future of many popular sports. Sociocultural Examinations of Sports Concussion is the first edited collection to bring together multiple sociocultural perspectives on sports concussion that interrogate the social, economic, political, and historical forces shaping the cultural impacts of these injuries. Each of the ten chapters moves beyond biomedical or neuroscientific paradigms to critically examine a specific intersection of sociocultural factors influencing public perceptions about concussion or athlete experiences of brain injury. These include analyses of media and advertising, medical treatment and diagnostic protocols, gender and masculinity, developments in equipment and scientific models, economics and labor politics, understandings of trauma and recovery, public health philosophies, and disciplinary differences in framing the ontologies of concussion. Drawing from a wide range of theoretical and methodological approaches, Sociocultural Examinations of Sports Concussion offers a diverse set of analyses examining brain injuries as cultural and embodied phenomena affecting more than just athletes’ brains, but also embedded within and (re)shaping meanings, identities, and social contexts. It is valuable reading for graduate students and researchers interested in the experience and treatment of sports concussion, sports sociology, and sports technology.

Recognition of concussion as a serious injury, informed by neurological and physiological research, is now commonplace in sport. However, research on the psychology of concussive injury—its psychological implications and outcomes, and psychological interventions for prevention and recovery—has largely been overlooked. This is the first book to explicitly and authoritatively set out the psychological aspects of sport-related concussion from a multidisciplinary and global perspective The book attempts to offer a global understanding of the injury by presenting an historical overview; exploring the psychological implications of sport-related concussion and the influence of gender and sociocultural context on concussive injury and recovery; setting out practical guidance on working with special populations suffering from concussive injuries; and discussing the theoretical and methodological considerations for research on concussion and future directions for this research. Written by a group of leading international experts and offering a hitherto underdeveloped perspective on this crucial area of sports injury research, this book is crucial reading for any upper-level student, researcher, sport scientist, coach, or allied health professional working on sport-related concussion. It is also valuable reading for students and researchers interested in the psychosocial processes that impact injury and recovery or general professional practice in sport psychology.

Concussions happen at all levels of sport, from the earliest levels through the professional ranks. Potentially catastrophic if not detected early, concussions have ended the careers of many notable professional players--and it's estimated that in high school football alone, about 1 in 5 players suffers a concussion. The Heads-Up on Sport Concussion is a concise introductory book on sport concussion for professionals who work with athletes. It provides a comprehensive review of current literature on sport concussion, and it guides professionals in communicating with athletes, parents, and coaches regarding assessment, treatment, and other issues surrounding sport concussion. In The Heads-Up on Sport Concussion, the authors detail -what happens when the brain is injured; -appropriate assessment and evaluation tools; -sport-specific issues; -how medical organizations are addressing the issue of sport concussion; -medical and nonmedical treatment and rehabilitation strategies; -recent research on a variety of topics in sport concussion; and -essential information for coaches, athletes, and parents. This book is focused and authoritative in its treatment of a poorly understood medical problem. Providing clear clinical management strategies for sport concussion injuries, the text compiles the best available information from different resources and synthesizes the information with summaries and conclusions for easy comprehension. The material is enhanced further with photos and illustrations depicting MRI scans and brain images showing chemical reactions in the brain after an injury. In addition, the text identifies particular sports and sport activities that have the greatest incidence of sport-related concussions, and it reports on and critiques those strategies that are currently in place to combat sport concussion across different sport groups. In The Heads-Up on Sport Concussion, professionals in sports medicine, neurology, neurosurgery, and neuropsychology offer strategies for recognizing and treating sport concussion. The text provides appropriate research resources without getting bogged down by lengthy research critiques. Many chapters include a Research Digest section that identifies critical research data used in developing recommendations and conclusions. Additionally, an educational poster is available for download via the Internet for trainers, physicians, coaches, and sports medicine professionals to use to educate athletes and their families about the signs, symptoms, and treatment of concussion. The poster is available at HumanKinetics.com. The Heads-Up on Sport Concussion provides a current understanding of terminology, assessment, treatment, and criteria for return to play for a range of readers. Researchers, medical professionals, and health care specialists will have a more thorough grasp of the various aspects of sport concussion and thus be able to provide better care and education to athletes who sustain concussions. Its complete treatment of a critical topic makes this a must-read for anyone involved in the care and training of athletes.

Concussions in Athletics: From Brain to Behavior is a timely and major contribution to the literature that comprehensively addresses the neuromechanisms, predispositions, and latest developments in the evaluation and management of concussive injuries. Also known as mild traumatic brain injury, concussion in athletics is a growing public health concern with increased attention focusing on treatment and management of this puzzling epidemic. Despite the increasing occurrence and prevalence of concussions in athletics, there is no universally accepted definition, or “gold standard,” for its assessment. Concussion in Athletics: From Brain to Behavior provides a range of major findings that may shed important light on current controversy within the field. The book is organized in five parts: Evaluation of Concussion and Current Development; Biomechanical Mechanisms of Concussion and Helmets; Neural Substrates, Biomarkers and Brain Imaging of Concussion Research; Pediatric Sport-related Concussions; and Clinical Management and Rehabilitation of Concussions. An invaluable contribution to the literature, Concussions in Athletics: From Brain to Behavior is a state-of-the-art reference that will be of significant interest to a wide range of clinicians, researchers, administrators, and policy makers.