Return to Play : Understanding Sports Concussions
On Thursday evening I had the pleasure of participating in a program sponsored by Neuroscience Network at the Princeton Library. Joining me was Smita Thakker-Varia, Ph.D., Carlos Salazar, A.T.C., C.S.C.S. and Niki Popyer, a student athlete. The program was sponsored by BioScience collaborative and its Neuroscience Network.
Dr. Thakker-Varia, an Associate Professor in the Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, discussed traumatic brain injury and what happens when the brain is injured during an athletic event. Dr. Thakker-Varia was followed by Carlos Salazar, a certified athletic trainer and the interim athletic trainer at Princeton High School. Mr. Salazar discussed the sports concussion protocols being followed by Princeton High School when a student athlete is believed to have sustained an injury to his or her brain during an athletic event. I was pleased to hear that Princeton High School has implemented the Impact Program, a computerized and simplified neuropsychological test that is used to establish baselines prior at the beginning of the season so that if it is suspected that a student athlete was injured, there was a baseline measure against which one could measure current results..
Next, Niki Popyer and her mother Kathy shared their experiences. Niki spoke of having sustained 11 concussions over an approximately seven year time frame that has now totally disabled her from returning to sports. Niki who will shortly testify before the U.S. Congress on the need for return to play legislation called for student athletes to understand the risks involved in sports and the necessity need to get medical help when they are injured and not hide their problems.
Finally, it was my pleasure to speak about the need for return to play legislation that would require a call for education of all stake holders (coaches, officials, parents and student athletes) to be educated about traumatic brain injury and the standards regarding return to play. The legislation should also include identification and prevention of traumatic brain injury and multiple impact risks and finally stringent guidelines on when and under what circumstances a student athlete can return to play. I urge strong legislation mandating that a student athlete should not return to play until he or she is totally symptom free and has been cleared by a physician trained in treating persons with traumatic brain injury.