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A high school athlete walks away after a devastating hit. They do not say anything because they want to continue playing. They do not want their team and coaches to think they are weak. The coach asks if they are okay. The player replies, “I’m fine” and returns to play. But, in reality, they suffered a concussion. They are putting them self at risk for long-term effects of repeated brain injury and possibly even death.
The new law, LB260 The Nebraska Concussion Awareness Act, recently passed by the Nebraska legislature is aimed at preventing athletes 19 years old or younger from lifelong impairment due to concussions. It couldn’t be more timely as students prepare to return to school and fall sports.
The law, which went into effect on July 1, 2012, has three components:
• educational training must be made available to all coaches, and concussion information given annually to both athletes and parents on how to recognize symptoms of a concussion and how to seek proper medical treatment
• an athlete with signs or symptoms or reasonably suspected of a concussion must be removed from participation and may not return to play until evaluated by an appropriately licensed health care professional
• a licensed health care professional must provide written and signed clearance for an athlete to return to play, as well as written clearance from a parent
Nebraska Sports Concussion Network
Saint Elizabeth Regional Medical Center and Nebraska Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine collaborated to create The Nebraska Sports Concussion Network. They have been improving the safety and well-being of student athletes across the state for the last two years.
The program gives physicians, coaches and schools the tools to know when an athlete can safely return to play after a concussion. The program has trained more than 250 health care professionals, worked with 130 high schools participating in the program and conducted more than 15,000 concussion tests statewide.
The Nebraska Sports Concussion Network utilizes ImPACT™, Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing. It was developed by physicians at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. It is the same test used by the National Football League, National Hockey League, Major League Baseball and numerous NCAA Division I football programs, including the University of Nebraska.
The program compares before-and-after injury data from a series of brief cognitive tests to determine if an athlete is ready to return to play. Before the season starts, each athlete in a contact or collision sport takes a baseline test measuring various aspects targeting memory, reaction time, concentration and attention span. After an injury, the same test is completed to help determine the severity of the injury. When the neurocognitive brain function returns to normal, it is safe for the athlete to begin progressing back to play.
Medical Director of the Nebraska Sports Concussion Network, Daniel J. Tomes, MD, leads the physician training for the ImPACT program and shares that it is important to take concussions seriously. “In the short-term, memory loss, headaches and/or depression may result from the cumulative effects of repeated concussions. In addition, researchers can now show long-term effects from repeated blows to the head that may lead to developing neuro-degenerative diseases like Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS) and dementia.”
The Nebraska Sports Concussion Network is providing three educational seminars in August. Attendees will learn about treatment methods for sports-related concussions, “Return to Play” guidelines and best practices for the ImPACT Test. You are invited to attend.
Regional West Medical Center, Scottsbluff
• Tuesday, August 7
• 6:30 – 9:30 p.m., a meal will be served at 6:00 p.m.
• Scottsbluff Rooms I & II
• To register, call 308-630-1355
Fremont Area Medical Center, Fremont
• Wednesday, August 15
• 6:30 – 9:30 p.m., a meal will be served at 6:00 p.m.
• Health Park Plaza, 3rd Floor Auditorium
• Register online or call 800-278-7837
Saint Elizabeth Regional Medical Center, Lincoln
• Tuesday, August 28
• 6:30 – 9:30 p.m., a meal will be served at 6:00 p.m.
• Lower Level, Rose Room
• Register online or call 800-278-7837
