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| MRI scan showing damage due to brain herniation after TBI. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia. |
With Sydney Crosby's (so far) successful second comeback to the NHL after suffering a debilitating concussion last year, there is a renewed interest in hockey – and a hope that he can stay healthy enough to remain in the game.
In his first game back Mr. Crosby contributed two assists and helped his Pittsburgh Penguins defeat the New York Rangers 5-2.
With the Stanley Cup playoffs just around the corner, the sports world will be watching to see if Mr. Crosby suffers any symptoms from his concussion that will once again take him out of the lineup.
What exactly is a concussion and what are the symptoms and treatment?
"A concussion is any impact on the head or body that causes a disturbance of consciousness," said Dr. Maryse Lassonde, a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) funded researcher in Montréal, in a telephone interview.
The proper term for a concussion (in scientific papers) is actually minor traumatic brain injury (MTBI) however, the word concussion remains in popular use.
What happens when you have a MTBI?
"Essentially, the brain may rotate within the skull," said Dr. Lassonde. "This provokes a cascade of neuro-chemical events."
This causes a wide variety of symptoms such as, headache, sensitivity to light and noise and balance problems. Fortunately, many people are able to function properly within 10 - 14 days.
According to Dr. Lassonde's research, many problems associated to MTBI end up being long term or even permanent. This may prevent an athlete from learning a new skill.
Dr. Lassonde has done extensive research on athletes – including the Montreal Canadiens – and says it is important to test each player and establish a baseline level. These include memory, computer, attention span and reaction time tests.
She says it is important that an athlete be symptom free before returning to a sport.
There is a phenomenon called the second impact syndrome, where an athlete takes a hit and gets a concussion, but returns to his or her sport without having fully recovered from the event. This further delays a complete recovery and a return to the game.
While we know Sidney Crosby is one of the most high-profile players to suffer a concussion, he is not the only one – although the NHL will not go into details about it.
"The NHL does not release numbers or players' names with respect to concussions," said a spokesperson for the NHL, in an email interview.
"I can tell you that the NHL has been at the forefront of concussion evaluation and management since the Concussion Working group was formed in 1997. There have been numerous improvements made to our concussion program over the past 14 years, particularly in the past 24 months. The NHL has also made numerous changes to the rules and the playing environment to maximize the safety of our players," said the spokesperson.
Athletes are not the only people to suffer from a variety of traumatic brain injuries.
No one knows this better than the Canadian Forces, who have seen many Afghan veterans suffer.
"Screening results of personnel returning from deployment to Afghanistan from 2009 to February 2011 showed that 5.1 per cent of this group self-reported experiencing a mild traumatic brain injury while deployed," said a spokesperson for the Department of National Defence, in an email interview.
"In combat, the majority of MTBIs are caused by exposure to blast. The most common symptoms of MTBIs are headaches, dizziness, problems with memory and attention, fatigue, poor sleep, anxiety, depression, and irritability," said the spokesperson.
Fortunately, the vast majority of CF members who experience MTBIs are able to return to work.
According to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, traumatic brain injuries are the number one killer and disabler of young Canadians under the age of 40. Each year, 50,000 Canadians sustain brain injury due to a blow to the head, a fall from a bike, a car accident or physical violence.
Dr. Lassonde has done extensive research on athletes – including the Montreal Canadiens – and says it is important to test each player and establish a baseline level. These include memory, computer, attention span and reaction time tests.
She says it is important that an athlete be symptom free before returning to a sport.
There is a phenomenon called the second impact syndrome, where an athlete takes a hit and gets a concussion, but returns to his or her sport without having fully recovered from the event. This further delays a complete recovery and a return to the game.
While we know Sidney Crosby is one of the most high-profile players to suffer a concussion, he is not the only one – although the NHL will not go into details about it.
"The NHL does not release numbers or players' names with respect to concussions," said a spokesperson for the NHL, in an email interview.
"I can tell you that the NHL has been at the forefront of concussion evaluation and management since the Concussion Working group was formed in 1997. There have been numerous improvements made to our concussion program over the past 14 years, particularly in the past 24 months. The NHL has also made numerous changes to the rules and the playing environment to maximize the safety of our players," said the spokesperson.
Athletes are not the only people to suffer from a variety of traumatic brain injuries.
No one knows this better than the Canadian Forces, who have seen many Afghan veterans suffer.
"Screening results of personnel returning from deployment to Afghanistan from 2009 to February 2011 showed that 5.1 per cent of this group self-reported experiencing a mild traumatic brain injury while deployed," said a spokesperson for the Department of National Defence, in an email interview.
"In combat, the majority of MTBIs are caused by exposure to blast. The most common symptoms of MTBIs are headaches, dizziness, problems with memory and attention, fatigue, poor sleep, anxiety, depression, and irritability," said the spokesperson.
Fortunately, the vast majority of CF members who experience MTBIs are able to return to work.
According to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, traumatic brain injuries are the number one killer and disabler of young Canadians under the age of 40. Each year, 50,000 Canadians sustain brain injury due to a blow to the head, a fall from a bike, a car accident or physical violence.
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