>> CONCUSSIONS IN PROFESSIONAL SPORTS HAVE BEEN IN THE
HEADLINES IN RECENT YEARS, BUT, DID YOU KNOW THAT HERE IN
NEW MEXICO WE REQUIRE THAT YOUTH ATHLETES SIT OUT FOR 10
DAYS AFTER CONCUSSION.
THAT REQUIREMENT WAS PASSED BY THE LEGISLATURE AND WENT INTO
EFFECT IN 2016 AND WE WERE CURIOUS ABOUT HOW THE LAW IS
BEING IMPLEMENTED SO WE ASKED OUR NEWEST CORRESPONDENT,
KAHLIL EKULONA, TO CHECK IN WITH A MEDICAL PROVIDER AND
COACHES ABOUT HOW THEY ARE HELPING PREVENT CONCUSSIONS
AND BETTER ADDRESS THEM WHEN THEY DO HAPPEN.
>> I AM JOINED AT THE TABLE BY DR.
RICHARD CAMPBELL A PEDIATRIC NEUROPSYCHOLOGIST AT
UNM HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER AND PROFESSOR OF PSYCHIATRY AND
BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES, BRANDON CHAVEZ, DIRECTOR OF SPIRIT
EXPRESS WEST AND L. STARZINSKI, WHO HAS COACHED
SOCCER AT MANY LEVELS INCLUDING STATE AND CLUB
SOCCER.
HE IS CURRENTLY SOCCER COACH AT ALBUQUERQUE HIGH.
>> DR.
CAMPBELL I'LL START WITH YOU.
WHAT SPORTS PUT YOUNG PEOPLE AT GREATEST RISK FOR
CONCUSSION?
>> WE KNOW THAT FOOTBALL IS PRIMARILY THE GREATEST SPORT
THAT IS AT RISK FOR CONCUSSION.
BUT, WE ALSO KNOW THAT SPORTS SUCH AS SOCCER AND LACROSSE,
OTHER SPORTS THAT HAVE A LOT OF PHYSICAL CONTACT ARE ALSO
AT RISK FOR CONCUSSION.
WE KNOW THAT SPORTS AND RECREATIONS SUCH AS
CHEERLEADING, WRESTLING, EVEN, DATA IN FEMALES ARE AT RISK
FOR CONCUSSIONS.
>> AND BASKETBALL AND OTHER SPORTS.
>> YES.
>> ALMOST THE ENTIRE GAMUT OF SPORTS.
>> YES, AND WE KNOW THAT MOST CONCUSSIONS OCCUR FROM
ATHLETE-TO-ATHLETE CONTACT WITH THE SECOND BEING ATHLETE
TO SOME PHYSICAL BARRIER ON THE FIELD.
>> IS THIS ONLY FOR ATHLETIC SPORTS?
WHAT ABOUT POSSIBLY BEING IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASSES?
>> WE RECENTLY DID A STUDY LOOKING AT THE INCIDENCES OF
CONCUSSION IN OUR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS HERE IN
NEW MEXICO.
IN WHICH WE WERE INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT INCIDENTS OF
CONCUSSION, NOT ONLY IN SPORTS, BUT WE ALSO ASKED
ABOUT PHYSICAL EDUCATION.
AN AREA THAT REALLY HASN'T BEEN RESEARCHED MUCH AND WE
FOUND THAT OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE PARTICIPATING IN PHYSICAL
EDUCATION MAY BE AT HIGHER RISK FOR HAVING CONCUSSION
THAN INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE PARTICIPATING IN SPORTS.
>> AND, YOU'RE A CHEERLEADING COACH AND SOCCER COACH
RESPECTIVELY.
DO YOU FIND THAT IS SIMILAR, POSSIBLY MORE INCREASED RISK
OF CONCUSSION FOR THE KIDS YOU WORK WITH.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
I AM NOT SURE LIKE HOW FAMILIAR YOU ARE WITH
CHEERLEADING AS A SPORT AND WHAT IS INVOLVED, BUT IT SEEMS
LIKE WHEN YOU TOSS SOMEBODY SEVERAL FEET IN THE AIR AND
YOU HAVE TO CATCH THEM, THERE IS A LOT OF RISK INVOLVED.
>> I HAVE SEEN THE COMPETITIONS LATE NIGHT ON
TELEVISION, HIGH IMPACT SPORTS, NOT JUST RAH RAH.
WHAT ABOUT THE SOCCER FIELD.
>> NO QUESTION ABOUT IT, LIKE DR.
CAMPBELL SAID, I HAVE SEEN QUITE A FEW CONCUSSIONS.
YOU KNOW.
PRETTY SOON WILL BY MY 20TH YEAR COACHING, COMING UP
PRETTY SOON AND I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF CONCUSSIONS.
IT IS LIKE DR.
CAMPBELL SAID, IT IS ALWAYS PLAYER-TO-PLAY
CONTACT.
IT IS PLAYERS LOSE THEIR FOOTING AND IMPACT ON THE
GROUND OR QUICK TURN AND THERE IS THAT IMPACT INTO SOMEONE OR
THAT KIND OF CONTACT.
I HAVEN'T SEEN -- AND I AM SURE IT HAPPENS OR I ASSUME IT
HAPPENS -- I HAVE NEVER SEEN A CONCUSSION BECAUSE OF CONTACT
WITH A BALL, YOU KNOW, OR WITH AN OBJECT, YOU KNOW, IT IS
ALWAYS THAT PLAYER-TO-PLAYER CONTACT.
>> BEEN COACHING FOR 20 YEARS, YOU SEE MORE CONCUSSIONS TODAY
THAN BEFORE?
>> BECAUSE THE GAME HASN'T CHANGED -- AS LONG AS -- I AM
SPEAKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT SOCCER.
THE GAME HASN'T CHANGED THAT MUCH IN THE PAST, WHAT, 50
YEARS.
AS LONG AS THE GAME IS THE WAY IT CURRENTLY IS THAT
PLAYER-TO-PLAYER CONTACT WILL ALWAYS BE THERE AND ALWAYS BE
THE RISK OF CONCUSSION.
AND THAT JUST -- AND THE TRUTH IS, NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO, YOU
WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ERADICATE THAT FROM THE GAME.
>> DR.
CAMPBELL, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF A
PERSON HAVING A CONCUSSION?
>> SO, A CONCUSSION IS A MILD TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY THAT
OCCURS AS A RESULT OF SOME SORT OF A BLOW TO THE HEAD OR
SOME SORT OF HIT OR JOLT TO THE BODY THAT CAUSES THE BRAIN
TO MOVE WITHIN THE BRAIN CRANIUM.
AND, THEN CAUSES CHEMICAL CHANGES IN THE BRAIN.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS, THE MOST COMMON IS HEADACHE, BUT, ALSO,
SEEING THINGS SUCH AS SENSITIVITY TO LIGHT, TO
NOISE, DIZZINESS, CONFUSION, RINGING IN THE EARS.
THERE IS SEVERAL NUMEROUS SORTS OF SYMPTOMS.
>> WHAT ARE SOME OF THE RISK FACTORS THAT CAN MAKE A
CONCUSSION WORSE?
>> THAT MAKE, IN TERMS -- ARE YOU SPEAKING TO PROLONGED
SYMPTOMS?
>> PROLONGED SYMPTOMS AND PERHAPS A YOUNG ATHLETE IS
PLAYING BASKETBALL, FOR INSTANCE, HIT THEIR HEAD ON
THE FLOOR, DIAGNOSED WITH CONCUSSION, WHAT ARE SOME OF
THE RISK FACTORS AS FAR AS OBVIOUSLY WE DON'T WANT THEM
TO GO BACK IMMEDIATELY AND PLAYING AGAIN BUT SOMETHING
THAT CAN EXACERBATE THE SYMPTOMS OF CONCUSSION.
>> WHAT WE DO WANT IS TO ALLOW THE ATHLETE TO RECOVER AND
HAVE THE TIME TO RECOVER.
AND WE KNOW THAT THE RISK FOR REPEAT CONCUSSION TYPICALLY
OCCURS WITHIN THE FIRST SEVEN TO 10 DAYS, SO, WE WANT TO
AVOID THAT.
AND, OF THE RISK FACTORS FOR PROLONGED SYMPTOMS FROM
CONCUSSION ARE THINGS SUCH AS HAVING A PRIOR CONCUSSION AND
WE KNOW THAT THERE IS EVIDENCE THAT ADOLESCENTS TEND TO BE AT
HIGHER RISK FOR PROLONGED OR PROLONGED SYMPTOMS IN SOME
CASES, HISTORY OF -- HISTORY OF HEADACHE OR MIGRAINE
HEADACHE, SOME EVIDENCE IN TERMS OF LEARNING
DISABILITIES, ADHD, BUT THAT RESEARCH STILL NEEDS TO BE
CLARIFIED BETTER.
HISTORY OF EITHER CO-MORBID OR PREMORBID ANXIETY, DEPRESSION
MAY BE A BIT OF A RISK FACTOR FOR PROLONGED SYMPTOMS.
>> ONE OF THE RISK FACTORS WE WANTS TO AVOID IS HAVING
STUDENT ATHLETES PLAY -- CONTINUE TO PLAY ONCE THEY
HAVE SUFFERED A CONCUSSION OR PLAY TOO SOON.
>> CORRECT.
AND THAT HAS BEEN THE REASON FOR STATE CONCUSSION LAWS
BEING DEVELOPED IS TO HELP IN TERMS OF REDUCING THE RISK OF
REPEAT CONCUSSION AND ALLOWING THE STUDENT ATHLETES TO
RECOVER.
>> SWITCHING TO GO TO THE PEOPLE ON THE SIDELINES AND
COMPETING.
BRANDON, YOU HAVE WORKED WITH DANCERS AND CHEERLEADERS FOR
QUITE SOMETIME.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE KEY WAS YOU'RE HELPING DANCERS AND
CHEERLEADERS AVOID CONCUSSIONS?
>> THE BEST WAY TO AVOID IS TO FOLLOW THE PROGRESSION IN
STUNTING FOR CHEERLEADERS.
A LOT OF KIDS GET EXCITED, THEY SEE THE COMPETITION AND
THEY WANT TO DO WHAT THEY SAW ON TELEVISION, BUT THEY DON'T
UNDERSTAND THERE IS UP TO A FIVE-STEP PROCESS TO GET TO
THAT LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY.
AND THEY TRY TO DO THINGS THAT ARE OUT OF THEIR ABILITY LEVEL
AND THAT IS WHERE INJURY HAPPENS.
SO IT REALLY IS A COACH'S RESPONSIBILITY TO STEP IN AND
SAY, NO, WE NEED TO FOLLOW THESE FIVE STEPS.
IF YOU WANT A SKILL LIKE THAT, WE HAVE TO LEARN IT THIS WAY,
START ON STEP 1 AND WE'LL GRADUALLY GET THERE BUT YOU
CAN'T JUMP AND DO LEVEL 5 AND EXPECT TO STAY SAFE.
>> YOU HAVE TO WALK BEFORE YOU FLIP?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> SO, TELL ME, WHEN ARE THEY MOST LIKELY TO HAPPEN IN
CHEERLEADING.
>> THERE IS REALLY KNOW WAY OF KNOWING WHEN THEY ARE MOST
LIKELY TO HAPPEN.
THERE IS SO MANY ELEMENTS.
TUMBLING, ITSELF, WHICH IS ONE THING AND THEN STUNT IS A
WHOLE OTHER ANIMAL AND I THINK THAT IS JUST GOES BACK TO
PROGRESSION AND COACHES BEING EDUCATED AND KNOWING THAT IS
HOW YOU TEACH SOMETHING, THIS IS STEP 1, 2, AND 3.
AND A COACH'S RESPONSIBILITY, THEY HAVE TO FOLLOW THAT.
>> IT COMES DOWN TO COACHING THE RIGHT WAY, TECHNIQUE, LIKE
IN FOOTBALL, THE PROPER WAYS TO TACKLE.
>> ABSOLUTELY, YOU HAVE TO START AT STEP 1 AND A LOT OF
PEOPLE SKIP STEP 1 BECAUSE THEY ARE ANXIOUS AND WANT THE
HEAD GRADUATE, IF I AM CASING OF DOING ADVANCED SKILLS.
>> PATIENCE IS KEY TO SAFETY.
>> BRANDON, WHAT ABOUT THE SOCCER FIELDS?
>> LIKE I SAID EARLIER, I MEAN, I CAN LOOK BACK AT THE
LAST THREE OR FOUR CONCUSSIONS I WITNESSED AND THERE IS
NOTHING WE COULD HAVE DONE TO PREPARE THEM FOR THAT
SITUATION, YOU KNOW.
IT IS UNPREDICTABLE IN THE GAME.
LIKE I SAID, SO, AT THE YOUNGER LEVELS, THE YOUTH 11
SOCCER NOW YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO HEAD THE BALL AND THAT IS
AN OBVIOUS STEP FOR THE YOUNGER ONES.
DR.
CAMPBELL WAS SAYING TAKING A STEP TO
HELP WITH THE DEVELOPING BRAIN AT YOUNGER AGES, BUT AS THEY
GET OLDER IN 13, 14, 15, 16, CONCUSSIONS I HAVE SEEN THERE
IS NO WAY TO PREVENT IT, JUST COMPLETELY UNPREDICTABLE HOW
THEY HAPPEN IN THE GAME.
>> DO YOU OFTEN GET QUESTIONS FROM PARENTS AS FAR AS
CONCUSSIONS LIKE WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO TRY TO MITIGATE THEM,
HOW THEY ARE TREATED AND QUESTIONS FROM PARENTS OF
STUDENTS AT LEAST WHO HAVE SUFFERED CONCUSSIONS?
>> WE DO A REALLY GOOD JOB AT ALBUQUERQUE HIGH PREPARING
PARENTS EVERY SEASON ABOUT THE PROTOCOL AND RETURN TO PLAY
FOR CONCUSSION.
COMMUNICATION NOW IS BETTER THAN IT HAS EVER BEEN, AT
LEAST AT OUR SCHOOL IN MY PROGRAM.
WE PREPARE THEM FOR WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF THEY GET A
CONCUSSION AND WHAT I HAVE SEEN IS THAT -- I THINK IN THE
PAST 20 YEARS, THE BIGGEST CHANGE I HAVE SEEN IS THAT
PEOPLE UNDERSTAND NOW THAT A CONCUSSION IS AN INJURY THAT
SHOULD BE TREATED LIKE A TORN ACL, LIKE A ROLLED ANKLE, LIKE
A PULLED MUSCLE.
I THINK THAT IS THE BIGGEST CHANGE I HAVE SEEN.
PEOPLE UNDERSTAND, PARENTS PLAYERS, IT IS AN INJURY THAT
HAS TO BE TREATED AND WHAT I HAVE SEEN IS THEY HAVE AT
LEAST AGAIN IN MY PROGRAM, THEY HAVE COMPLETE FAITH IN
WHAT WE ARE DOING TO TREAT THAT INJURY.
>> BRIEFLY, DO YOU ALL FEEL THAT THE -- I KNOW SOMETIMES
IN FOOTBALL, IT USED TO BE RUB SOME DIRT ON IT AND GET BACK
OUT ON THE FIELD.
DO YOU THINK THE CULTURE AMONG STUDENT ATHLETES, I WANT TO
CONTINUE TO PLAY FOR MY TEAM, FOR THE SCHOOL, FOR MY
PARENTS, DO YOU THINK THAT IS BEGINNING TO CHANGE A LITTLE
BIT?
>> I THINK IT IS DIFFERENT EVERYWHERE, YOU KNOW.
IF YOU HAVE A COMPETITIVE PROGRAM, OF COURSE, THE KIDS
WANT TO GET BACK ON THE FLOOR.
THAT IS WHAT THEY ARE THERE FOR.
NOT EVERY PROGRAM IS AN ABSOLUTELY COMPETITIVE PROGRAM
AND LIKE IN MY EXPERIENCE, LIKE, SOCCER, YOU ARE PLAYING
GAMES, BUT CHEERLEADING ISN'T THERE YET.
THERE IS COMPETITIVE TEAMS AND SIDELINES TEAMS.
SIDELINE TEAMS, WHEN IT HAPPENS, THE GIRLS ARE SCARED
AND DON'T CARE TO GO BACK ON THE FIELD BUT COMPETITIVE
PEOPLE DEFINITELY WANT TO BE ON THE FIELD AND IT IS
BACKWARDS FROM WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
PARENTS ARE NOT ALWAYS SUPPORTIVE ON THE CHEER SIDE
AND THEY WANT THEIR KIDS TO BE BACK THERE AND NOT WAIT THE
FULL 10 TO 14 DAYS, THEY WANT THEIR KID OUT IN LIKE THREE
DAYS, AND WE HAVE TO STOP AND REMIND THEM, JUST BECAUSE YOU
CAN'T SEE THE BRAIN INJURY THE WAY YOU SEE A ROLLED ANKLE OR
THE OTHER ISSUES, IT IS STILL THERE AND YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW
THE GUIDELINES.
>> YOU MENTIONED 10 DAYS, BEFORE.
>> OUR CURRENT STATE LAW IS A STUDENT ATHLETE IS NOT TO
RETURN TO PLAY FOR A MINIMUM OF 240 HOURS OR 10 DAYS.
WE RECOMMENDED THAT BASED ON SOME EVIDENCE INCLUDING THAT
WE HAVE EVIDENCE THAT AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THAT THE
VAST MAJORITY OF REPEAT CONCUSSIONS OCCURS WITHIN A 7
TO 10 DAY PERIOD AFTER THE FIRST CONCUSSION.
THE SECOND IS THAT WE KNOW FROM SOME NEUROSCIENCE
RESEARCH THAT IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THAT 7 TO 10 DAYS IS
THE TIME THAT IT TAKES TO RECOVER FROM THAT BIOCHEMICAL
METABOLIC CRISIS THAT OCCURS FOLLOWING A CONCUSSION.
THERE WAS A RECENT STUDY THAT WAS DONE PUBLISHED IN AMERICAN
JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH THAT LOOKED AT THE EFFECTS OF STATE
CONCUSSION LAWS AND HAPPILY, WE HAVE SEEN A SIGNIFICANT
DECREASE IN REPEAT CONCUSSION AS A RESULT OF THE STATE
CONCUSSION LAWS.
I THINK THAT THE NEW MEXICO CONCUSSION LAW ALSO REQUIRES
THAT NOT ONLY COACHES BUT PARENTS AND ATHLETES BE
EDUCATED REGARDING CONCUSSION.
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE BE AWARE OF CONCUSSIONS AND LEARN
HOW TO MANAGE THEM SO THAT WE CAN ENCOURAGE SAFE
PARTICIPATION IN SPORTS FOR OUR KIDS.
>> SAFE PARTICIPATION IS DEFINITELY NEEDED.
THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH ME AND HAVING THIS GREAT
DISCUSSION.
HOPEFULLY WE CAN BEGIN TO CHANGE SOME OF THE ATTITUDES
TOWARDS CONCUSSION.
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