Sports Sciences Commons^™

The Occupational Performance Of Student-Athletes Post-Concussion: A Guide For Coaches And Athletic Trainers, Baylee A. Felts, Mary Ann Smith, Danielle Cade

Spring 2024 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Concussions are a rising concern amongst the sports community. Student-athletes with concussions can exhibit deficits in physical, psychosocial, cognitive, and visual-perceptual abilities (Centers for Disease Control, 2019). Occupational therapists are equipped to address the impacts of those deficits to improve occupational engagement and performance but are often overlooked in concussion management teams (Finn, 2019). A concussion management team typically consists of coaches, athletic trainers (ATs), physicians, and sometimes physical therapists, depending on the severity of the concussion. Due to growing concern and continued research, the concussion management team must be current with new information. Coaches and ATs may not keep …

Accelerometer-Based Head Impact Detection In Soccer - Where Are We?, Nipun Chopra

Biology Faculty publications

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) represents a significant burden on individuals, societies, and healthcare systems as it is associated with long-term neurological and behavioral consequences. Although these effects vary according to severity, events that lead to TBI and mild TBI (mTBI), such as concussions, subconcussive impacts, and non-impact violent head movements, may also lead to similar changes. Soccer players are particularly prone to mTBI as they are exposed to head impacts in various ways during training and gameplay. A commonly-claimed TBI risk is that posed by the "heading" technique. Our examination of the literature questions the extent to which heading actually …

What Is The Prevalence Of General Anxiety Disorder And Depression Symptoms In Semi-Elite Australian Football Players: A Cross-Sectional Study, Anthony Henderson, Sarah A. Harris, Troy Kirkham, Jonathon Charlesworth, Myles C. Murphy

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: The prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms in semi-elite Australian footballers is unknown. The primary objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) and depressive symptoms in semi-elite Australian Football players. Our secondary objective was to explore the association between demographic and football-specific factors with GAD and depressive symptoms. A cross-sectional epidemiological study including 369 semi-elite Western Australian Football League (WAFL) players from the Men and Women’s 2022 season (n = 337 men, 91%) was conducted. Symptoms of depression were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 scale (PHQ-9) and symptoms of GAD with …

Cultural Normalization Of Risk?: Exploring Brain Injury In The National Football League Using Sociocultural Analysis, Ali V. Willing, Jafra D. Thomas

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

The NFL's history includes the organization's fight against numerous lawsuits alleging excessive risk of brain injury to current and former players. A billion-dollar legal settlement by the NFL in 2022 illustrates the issue's gravity. PURPOSE: We aimed to understand why, culturally, the NFL has 'failed' to avert serious harm alleged by the lawsuits, given the lawsuits' magnitude and the known brain-injury risks of playing tackle football. METHODS: The NFL's rhetoric towards safety concerns and recommendations for injury prevention were examined vis-a-vis qualitative analysis of its organizational and media practices. This study was through one undergraduate end-of-term project focused …

Stimulant Medication Use In Children/Adolescent Athletes With Adhd Reduce The Recovery Time Of Concussions And Traumatic Brain Injury, Matthew Lee

Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies Capstone Presentations (Center City)

Introduction

• Concussions and TBIs are well-known injuries occurring 30-50 million times a year worldwide and are commonly seen in sports.¹ The majority of TBIs are mild yet still have the potential to cause lifelong detrimental effects.
• Short- and long-term complications include difficulty thinking, difficulty concentrating, changes in emotions and personality, decreased memory and sensation, and may lead to depression and dementia.²
• Especially in children and adolescents who are undergoing brain development.
• There are no known prophylactic medications, however, some studies have indicated that sympathomimetic drugs, MPH, may be neuroprotective in the setting of TBIs.
• The purpose of this …

Community Awareness Of Youth Sport Related Concussion: A Neuropsychological Perspective, Ryan D. Bennett, Claire Stafford, Shanna K. Williams, Vijay Bajnath, Chris Burley, Alison Datoc, Alexis Hartman

Journal for Sports Neuroscience

There continues to be growing public awareness regarding concussions and the detrimental effects sustaining such an injury can have on one’s life. Of increased importance is the understanding of how concussions impact children and adolescents, particularly as a result of sport engagements. Contact sports involving youth account for 41% of the concussions seen in emergency departments (Waltzman et al., 2020). Of note, hospital estimates tend to underrepresent the total number of sport-related concussions as they do not factor patients treated in a community setting (Bazarian et al., 2020). In consideration of this public health epidemic, there is a current projection …

Unreported Concussions Within Law Enforcement Officers, Bailee Faulkner, Jennifer Walker, Audrey Wagstaff

Journal of Sports Medicine and Allied Health Sciences: Official Journal of the Ohio Athletic Trainers Association

OBJECTIVE

Understand the degree to which concussions go unreported among members of the Law Enforcement community.

The Value Of The Vestibular/Ocular Motor Screening (Voms) In Evaluating Adolescent Patients With Concussions, Laura Harris, Kirstin Antonaros, Hayley Cole, Patrick Daniels, Kurtis Gould, Trent Ivey, Alexa Lewis, Alexis Maxwell, Paul Miles

Journal of Sports Medicine and Allied Health Sciences: Official Journal of the Ohio Athletic Trainers Association

OBJECTIVE

To determine the VOMS can differentiate between typical and protracted recoveries in adolescent patients.

School Psychologists’ Knowledge And Perceived Competence Regarding Concussion Management In Schools, Braelyn Tracy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that can have a serious effect on a young, developing brain. Following a concussion, it is common for children and adolescents to experience difficulties in the school setting. Schools may be the ideal setting to address some of the problems children experience as schools employ some personnel with expertise and experience in assessment and intervention. If return to learn is put to the side, students experiencing concussion signs and symptoms could potentially have long-term cognitive problems. School psychologists play a key role in the prevention and assessment of, and intervention for …

Salivary Microrna As A Concussion Biomarker And The Implications For Athletic Trainers' Practices, Thomas Richard Campbell

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Many concussions are sustained globally each year; however, research suggests that a large number may go undiagnosed due to a reliance on subjective information from patients and limitations of current objective measures. Recently, efforts have been focused on identifying clinical biomarkers of concussions, including salivary microRNA (miRNA), to improve healthcare professionals’ concussion management practices. Even if salivary miRNA were shown to be a valid and reliable measure for managing concussions, healthcare professionals, such as athletic trainers (ATs), must be familiar with the tool and have positive attitudes toward the implementation into clinical practice. Therefore, the purpose of this dissertation was …

The Invisible Epidemic: A Concussion Assessment Among University Faculty And Staff, Emily R. Brown, Jacqueline D. Villanueva Arevalo

Student Scholar Showcase

Background: The present body of research is deficient, and institutions frequently lack defined return-to-learn policies for students who have incurred or been diagnosed with a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI)/concussion.

Purpose: This research study aims to determine the level of knowledge and awareness university faculty and staff currently have at a private university in the Mid-Atlantic Region.

Participants: 64 collegiate faculty and academic staff

Methods: A Cross-sectional, web-based Faculty and Staff Concussion Awareness and Knowledge survey was completed by participants, consisting of 9 demographic, 21 Likert Scale, and 1 multiple-option question.

Results: Initial descriptive and frequency statistics of the 64 …

Emotionally Concussed: The Impact Of Pre-Existing Anxiety On Concussion Recovery, Grace Szucs

Honors Theses

Recent advances in concussion research have shed light on numerous mental and physiological factors that may complicate concussion recovery. Systematic reviews of the existing literature have found that premorbid mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety may be a predictor of complicated concussion recovery, but studies have not had an appropriate design to isolate anxiety or depression as a predictor of lengthened recovery. This study investigated if athletes with a history of premorbid anxiety and/or depression would have a longer time of recovery than athletes without this history. Male and female athletes from a Division-1 athletic department treated for …

Using Statistics, Computational Modelling And Artificial Intelligence Methods To Study And Strengthen The Link Between Kinematic Impacts And Mtbis, Andrew Luke Mcconnell Patterson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs) are frequently occurring, yet poorly understood, injuries in sports (e.g., ice hockey) and other physical recreation activities where head impacts occur. Helmets are essential pieces of equipment used to protect participants’ heads from mTBIs. Evaluating the performance of helmets to prevent mTBIs using simulations on anatomically accurate computational head finite element models is critically important for advancing the development of safer helmets. Advancing the level of detail in, and access to, such models, and their continued validation through state-of-the-art brain imaging methods and traditional head injury assessment procedures, is also essential to improve safety. The …

Risk Of Position-Based Concussions Among Collegiate Men And Women Soccer Players, Devin Hauenstein

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Limiting the incidence of concussions has become a foremost concern among collegiate athletes and coaches. This study aimed to determine if the soccer position played, and minutes played during a game predict the incident of concussion among college soccer players. If concussion risk can be predicted, it may lead to mitigating actions to minimize risks. Data from 208 male and female soccer players from the North Coast Concussion Program (NCCP) were assessed to predict the incidence of concussion based on total minutes played and position(s) played. A logistic regression analysis and predictive modeling technique were used to determine whether the …

The Clinical Value Of Oculomotor Assessments Across The Continuum Of Concussion, Dillon Richards

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Concussions are complex conditions that are difficult to manage medically. Variations in symptom presentation, intricate neurophysiological processes, and the availability of a variety of possible assessment tools may contribute to this complexity. Clinicians must use a broad approach, employing both subjective symptom assessment and objective assessments to confirm a diagnosis and/or monitor progression and recovery. Oculomotor function after concussion may be an important indicator of injury, given the interconnectedness of oculomotor function, vestibulo-ocular and visual systems, and even cognition. Oculomotor function may be assessed objectively or indirectly using patient-reported symptom checklists as part of subjective assessments. One way of objectively …

On-Field Deployment And Validation For Wearable Devices, Calvin Kuo, Declan Patton, Tyler Rooks, Gregory Tierney, Andrew Mcintosh, Robert Lynall, Amanda Esquivel, Ray Daniel, Thomas Kaminski, Jason Mihalik, Nate Dau, Jillian Urban

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Wearable sensors are an important tool in the study of head acceleration events and head impact injuries in sporting and military activities. Recent advances in sensor technology have improved our understanding of head kinematics during on-field activities; however, proper utilization and interpretation of data from wearable devices requires careful implementation of best practices. The objective of this paper is to summarize minimum requirements and best practices for on-field deployment of wearable devices for the measurement of head acceleration events in vivo to ensure data evaluated are representative of real events and limitations are accurately defined. Best practices covered in this …

Concussion And Mental Health: Case Series, Haley M. Clark

All NMU Master's Theses

Concussion is the most common traumatic brain injury in the United States, and is thought to lead to adverse effects on mental health. No studies to date have examined mental health throughout concussion recovery. This project examined the effect of concussion on three aspects of mental health: anxiety (Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale), depression (Beck’s Depression Inventory), and aggression, (Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire) at three time points (baseline, mid-season, and postseason) and if the athlete had a concussion, they completed the questionnaire once upon diagnosis, bi-weekly until return-to-play, and bi-weekly for two weeks after being cleared for participation. Each concussion showed an …

Supporting Students After Concussion: What College Faculty Need To Know, Susan C. Davies

Thomas C. Hunt Building a Research Community Day

Returning to university life following concussion can be challenging for students. Our Brain Health Collaboratory, in conjunction with the Center on Brain Injury Research and Training, developed set of online resources to inform college faculty members about brain injuries. The module includes information about concussion effects, academic and environmental accommodations, and the role of college faculty in providing support. This session will share our research that led to development of the module, as well as our plan to evaluate its efficacy.

Prevalence And Differences Of Sport Concussion Symptoms And Severity Among Male And Female University Student Athletes, Tacey Howell, Kristen Mcalexander

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

The prevalence of sport concussions continues to increase among university student athletes in the United States. Earlier methods of prevention, such as the Halo and modified football and hockey helmets, have not resulted in significantly fewer sport concussions. Further, even less is known about the differences between male and female university student athletes’ concussion symptoms and severity. PURPOSE: To measure sport concussion prevalence among university student athletes and compare the severity of self-reported symptoms among university male and female student athletes. METHODS: In the Fall of 2021, a modified version of the SCAT5 (Sport Concussion Assessment Tool, 5^th Edition) …

Vestibular Rehabilitation As An Early Intervention In Athletes Who Are Post-Concussion: A Systematic Review, Gabrielle Babula, Edward Warunek, Grace Nikolski, Katherine Cure

Student Research Poster Presentations 2022

Background: Sports-related concussions (SRC) are a common injury sustained by many athletes of all different age groups and sports. The current standard treatment is rest followed by aerobic activity. Little has been researched on the effects of vestibular rehabilitation for concussion treatment, especially in physical therapy practice.

Objective: The purpose of this systematic review was to research the effects of early intervention of vestibular rehabilitation and an athlete’s time to return to play compared to rest alone.

Methods: Two searches were conducted (August 2021 & January 2022). Databases looked at were CINAHL complete, MEDLINE, PubMed, Wiley online database, and one …

The Correlation Between Acl Injury & Concussion, Brandon Michael Phillips

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Concussion (also known as mild traumatic brain injury) is a neurological injury that occurs after a blow to the head or neck area and can have affects to movement based on the severity of the injury. Mild traumatic brain injury has possible linkage to an increased risk of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. The purpose of this thesis was to assess the impact of prior concussion on lower extremity mechanics that are associated with risk of ACL injury. A total of 11 individuals with prior history of concussion and 11 healthy individuals without prior history of concussion (56.5 months since …

Head Impact Exposure In Youth And Collegiate American Football, Grace B. Choi, Eric P. Smith, Stefan M. Duma, Steven Rowson, Eamon Campolettano, Mireille E. Kelley, Derek A. Jones, Joel D. Stitzel, Jillian E. Urban, Amaris Genemaras, Jonathan G. Beckwith, Richard M. Greenwald, Arthur C. Maerlender, Joseph J. Crisco

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty and Staff Publications

The relationship between head impact and subsequent brain injury for American football players is not well defined, especially for youth. The objective of this study is to quantify and assess Head Impact Exposure (HIE) metrics among youth and collegiate football players. This multiseason study enrolled 639 unique athletes (354 collegiate; 285 youth, ages 9–14), recording 476,209 head impacts (367,337 collegiate; 108,872 youth) over 971 sessions (480 collegiate; 491 youth). Youth players experienced 43 and 65% fewer impacts per competition and practice, respectively, and lower impact magnitudes compared to collegiate players (95th percentile peak linear acceleration (PLA, g) competition: 45.6 vs …

The Impact Of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury Risk On Baseline Balance Assessment For Concussion In Collegiate Athletes, Ryan N. Moran, Nicholas G. Murray

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

PURPOSE: Recent literature has linked concussion and neuromuscular deficits in the lower extremity after injury. Neuromuscular control is frequently assessed using balance measures for concussion, but also dynamically to identify anterior cruciate ligament injury (ACL) risk via jump-landing movement screening. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of ACL injury risk on baseline balance assessment for concussion. METHODS: Thirty-nine healthy, collegiate female soccer (n=22) and volleyball (n=17) athletes completed the modified-Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction of Balance (m-CTSIB) and the Landing Error Scoring System (LESS) test as part of routine concussion baseline testing and injury …

In-Season Concussion Symptom Reporting In Male And Female Collegiate Rugby Athletes, Emily E. Kieffer,, P. Gunnar Brolinson, Arthur C. Maerlender, Eric Smith, Steven Rowson

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty and Staff Publications

Symptom inventories are generally only collected after a suspected concussion, but regular in-season monitoring may allude to clinical symptoms associated with repetitive subconcussive impacts and potential undiagnosed concussions. Despite sex-specific differences in symptom presentation and outcome of concussion, no return-to-play protocol takes sex into account. The objective of this study was to monitor a cohort of contact-sport athletes and compare the frequency and severity of in-season concussion-like symptom reporting between sexes. Graded symptom checklists from 144 female and 104 male athlete-seasons were administered weekly to quantify the effect of subconcussive impacts on frequency and severity of in-season symptom reporting. In-season, …

Do Memory Test Scores Improve After Organized Sport Activity?, Olivia B. Smith, Erika Smith-Goodwin, Jennifer Walker

Journal of Sports Medicine and Allied Health Sciences: Official Journal of the Ohio Athletic Trainers Association

Please enjoy Volume 7, Issue 1 of the JSMAHS. In this issue, you will find Professional, Graduate, and Undergraduate research abstracts, and case reports.

Thank you for viewing this 7^th Annual OATA Special Edition.

The Impact Of Multiple Concussions On The Lives Of Student-Athletes, Jenny L. Toonstra, Andrea E. Cripps, Lauren R. Meyers

Journal of Sports Medicine and Allied Health Sciences: Official Journal of the Ohio Athletic Trainers Association

Please enjoy Volume 7, Issue 1 of the JSMAHS. In this issue, you will find Professional, Graduate, and Undergraduate research abstracts, and case reports.

Thank you for viewing this 7^th Annual OATA Special Edition.

The Role Of Pre-Season Health Characteristics As Injury Risk Factors In Female Adolescent Soccer Players, Brent Harper, Adrian Aron, Emmanuel John

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

[Purpose] Determine if female adolescent soccer players with a history of concussion, impaired K-D scores, and pre-season subjective complaints of neck pain, dizziness, and headache were predisposed to additional risk of musculoskeletal or concussive injury during 10-weeks of competitive play. [Participants and Methods] Twenty-three female high school soccer athletes provided concussion history and reported pre-season subjective complaints. K-D testing was performed pre and postseason. During the 10-week season, all injuries, preventing participation in practice or game, were recorded. [Results] Six reported a history of concussion. Of those six, three injuries were reported, including two concussions and a hamstring strain. Baseline …

The Long-Term Behavioral Effects Of Concussions And Post-Concussion Syndrome, Hannah Belleville

Honors College

The focus of this thesis is to examine the effects of concussions on college athletes, specifically their social activity and behavioral changes. Concussions are mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) that occur after receiving a blow to the head or a whiplash injury that causes an altered state of consciousness, including but not limited to, being unconscious. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) reports that in the past five years college athletes have suffered 10,500 concussions. Unlike professional athletes, who have the luxury of being able to rest until fully healed, college student athletes have the demands of academics often rushing …

The Effect Of Concussion History On Lower Extremity Injury Risk In High School And Collegiate Athletes: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Vanessa Ramirez, Ryan Mccann, Eric Schussler, Jessica Martinez

College of Health Sciences Posters

Sport-related concussions are a prevalent injury that result in sensorimotor dysfunction and altered neuromuscular control. Individuals recovering from a concussion display decreased postural sway during balance assessment and may possess prolonged balance deficits after return-to-play (RTP). Athletes who are experiencing impairments following RTP after a concussion may be at increased risk of lower extremity (LE) injury. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies examining risk of LE musculoskeletal injury following a concussion in high school and collegiate athletes. An electronic database search of PubMed, CINAHL, MEDLINE, and SPORTDiscus was conducted on November …

An Objective Method To Assess And Recommend Exertion And Exercise Targets For Return To Play Post Concussion, Joseph F. Clark Phd Atc, Robert E. Mangine Pt Med Atc, Kimberly A. Hasselfeld Ms, Violet T. Schramm, Angelo J. Colosimo Md, Aaron Kuehn-Himmler At Ms, Gerald M. Holloway Ms Atc, Faniel Fosselman Do Mba, Jon Vincent, Nicole Giordano, Jon G. Divine Md Ms

Journal for Sports Neuroscience

Introduction.

Concussions are of significant concern for athletic trainers, and there is a critical need to objectively and safely allow an athlete to return to play. In sports the objective is return as safely and soon as possible. Exertion is a consideration regarding progressing an athlete back to play. The ability to exert in cardiovascular and strength and conditioning contexts are two critical steps in most return to play protocols. Being able to make objective recommendations is urgently needed, as trial and error leads to unnecessary risk of eliciting symptoms and/or causing setbacks.

Objective.

The object of this paper is …