Sports Sciences Commons^™

A Review Of The Progression Of Concussion Protocols Used Over Time In High School And College Athletics, Renee M. Thompson

Honors Thesis

Concussions have a significant impact on teenagers and young adults. Most concussions occur when participating in sports. Therefore, the focus is on high school and college athletes for this review. Over the years many new concussion studies and protocols have been implemented and removed. Concussions are head injuries, where the person has suffered trauma causing the brain to shift and receive damage. This typically impacts brain tissue and a variety of symptoms results. Concussions were traditionally not considered with the same severity as broken bones or bloody wounds. Head injuries can have extreme effects on the body and daily living …

Concussion-Related Symptomatology And Outcomes In Individuals With Mental Health Conditions: Symptom Number And Severity, Balance Performance, And Time Course To Discharge, Kathryn J. Schulze

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Symptomatology can overlap between concussions and common mental health conditions (MHCs) – such as anxiety, depression, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Research determined that there can be an onset of new or worsening symptoms related to pre-existing MHCs in individuals post-concussion. Pre-existing MHCs may affect concussion outcomes. Therefore, the relationship between pre-existing MHCs and concussions was further examined. Study One examined the difference in symptom severity and number of symptoms reported at the initial clinical assessment for concussion for individuals with and without a pre-existing MHC. A chart review determined that individuals with anxiety or multiple MHCs had significantly more concussion symptoms …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Effects Of A Dual-Task Paradigm On Tandem Gait Performance, Courtney Angela Perry

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

In concussion management, a variety of cognitive and motor control tests, like the tandem gait, have been used for assessing the presence of a concussion injury at the sideline and through recovery. More recently, research suggests that introducing a secondary cognitive retention task during tandem gait (i.e., dual task) may provide a better assessment of concussion. The purpose of this study was to determine if a tandem gait test paired with a 6-digit retention is a valid and reliable tool. Participants completed three trials of both the single-task (ST) and dual-task (DT) tandem gait tests, and their average (MEAN) and …

Aci-35 And Aadvac1 Active Immunotherapy As Preventative Treatment Options For Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, Emily C. Boehlein

Selected Honors Theses

One of the most common, as well as one of the most dangerous injuries amongst athletes today is mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), commonly known as concussion. Aside from physical symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, and headaches; concussions have can have longterm effects on brain physiology. A common neurological disease that can result from multiple concussions is Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), characterized by symptoms such as severe depression, anxiety, confusion, and aggression; amongst others.1 On the cellular level, CTE is classified by a unique pathway that leads to the hyperphosphorylation of tau protein and subsequent clumping of tau-containing neurofibrillary tangles …

Cumulative Purposeful Soccer Heading Can Lead To Compensatory Changes In Brain Activity During Combined Moderate Exercise And Cognitive Load In Female Youth Soccer Players, Alexandra Harriss

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Head trauma that occurs during sporting events is responsible for an increasing number of emergency department visits in Canada and is associated with an increased risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases.While head injury in American football has been extensively studied, it cannot be extrapolated to non-helmeted sports. Approximately 265 million people are actively participating in soccer and many are 18 years of age and younger. Soccer is unique in that players use their head to redirect the ball; however, the effects of cumulative purposeful soccer heading on brain health are unknown. Accordingly, the objective of this thesis was to quantify head …

Understanding And Identifying The Knowledge And Attitudes Of High School Coaches On Sport-Related Concussions, Marc A. Mortellaro

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Background and Purpose of the Study: Sport-related concussions are a major public health issue, particularly so in the setting of sports. Sports dominate American culture and with millions of athletes of all ages participating in these sports these athletes predispose themselves to the risks of sport-related concussions. High-school athletes are of particular interest because of the heightened risks of long-term consequences and of particular note second impact syndrome, which is a catastrophic injury primarily reported in the adolescent aged athlete. Appropriate concussion assessment and management is necessary for reducing the possibility of these long- term effects of concussions. Properly trained …

Assessing Classroom Readiness Post-Concussion In College Student-Athletes: Comparing The Impact To Standardized Cognitive Assessments, Isabel Hotop

All Theses, Dissertations, and Capstone Projects

The ImPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Test) is a commonly used computerized neurocognitive test for concussion management in college student-athletes (Lovell, 2020). This assessment is heavily relied upon by athletic trainers to make decisions regarding timing of return-to-play and return-to-classroom for college student-athletes. Predicting when students are ready to return-to-learn is imperative for their success in the classroom. However, the current evidence shows that the validity and reliability of the ImPACT may be lacking. As of ten years ago, a single study had yet to demonstrate the validity of the ImPACT by comparing the scores to traditional neurocognitive testing …

Evaluation Of The Psychometric And Measurement Properties Of The Scat5 And Child Scat5, Michael Robinson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Concussions are one of the most complex conditions to manage in sport medicine due to the individualized clinical presentation caused by the complex neurometabolic cascade that occurs. The identification, assessment and management of concussion requires clinicians to employ a multifaceted approach including the subjective disclosure of symptoms by patents. In order to aid in this, symptom checklists are commonly used as they provide a standardized method for collecting the severity of concussion symptoms. One of the most common symptom checklists is the 5^th Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT5) symptom evaluation which is available in an adult and pediatric version. …

Innovative Care Of Individuals In The Athletic Training Room: A Case Series, Kathryn E. Young

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

This work follows three unique cases of athletic injuries and/or injuries in patients. These cases were selected because of the innovative nature of the rehabilitation process conducted by the sports medicine team via the athletic training room or the unique nature of the injury/case.

The first is a concussion sustained from a motor vehicle accident in a collegiate female thrower. This is unique because it’s a non-sport related concussion handled as an athletic trainer would handle a sports related concussion. It also demonstrates a new unique protocol for concussion management.

The second case is a patient with two complete anterior …

Impact Of Concussion And Orthopedic Injuries On Physical Activity And Quality Of Life After Sport Retirement, Makenna Hancock

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

CONTEXT: Concussions and orthopedic injuries represent a significant risk related to participation in collegiate athletics. These injuries can create significant long-term impairments and functional limitations which may also decrease former athletes’ quality of life (QoL) and inhibit their ability to engage in physical activity. OBJECTIVE: To investigate QoL and physical activity levels of former collegiate athletes with a history of concussion and orthopedic injury, orthopedic injury only, and healthy controls. DESIGN: Descriptive, experimental study.
SETTING: Daily life as former National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I collegiate athlete.
PARTICIPANTS: Former Division I collegiate athletes competing in football, women’s soccer, baseball, softball, …

Concussion Protocols For Youth Sport In Tennessee, Corinne C. Oliphant

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Concussion Rehabilitation: Vestibular And Physiotherapy, Amia Pelletier, Jordan Wing

Thinking Matters Symposium Archive

Recent research has come out to suggest that a prolonged resting period after a concussion may not be the most beneficial way to recover. Many doctors of physical therapy seem to have a consensus that athletes that acquire a sports-related concussion should seek treatment through body movement, not the typical resting and abstaining from exercise protocol. Recent research has shown that vestibular and physiotherapy will reduce the recovery time after a concussion. Seventy-one percent of a treatment group had returned within eight weeks, compared to seven percent in a control group. The participants in the treatment group were four times …

Effect Of Physical Fatigue On The King-Devick Concussion Assessment, Audrey Bauer

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

The Abstract for this thesis is not available at this time.

Analysis Of Sideline Concussion Screening Tools In An Athletic Setting, Steven Young

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This paper serves as a primer to healthcare professionals of the now and future of sideline screening for concussion. In the past decade, significant research into sports-related concussions has expanded understanding of what is as a very complex injury. As the definition of concussion has evolved, the impact they have is put into perspective. As more research into the short- and long-term effects of concussions brings to light the effects of continuing to participate after suffering a concussion, the importance of keeping concussed athletes off the field is now understood as a potential life or death situation. With the dangers …

Concussion Knowledge Of Missoula Youth Hockey Participants And Their Parents, Samantha Riordan

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Abstract:

Background: The Dylan Steigers Protection of Youth Athletes Act (DSPYAA) was passed by Montana legislature in 2013 which calls for mandatory concussion education of coaches, parents, and athletes. This law only applies to school sponsored sports, excluding those involved in youth sports organizations (YSO), such as youth hockey.

Hypothesis: Participating youth athletes and parents will not be able to identify signs and symptoms of a concussion and will not be able to identify future consequences of a poorly managed concussion.

Study Design: Cross sectional survey. Level of Evidence: Level 4

Methods: A descriptive questionnaire, Concussion Knowledge in Youth Sports …

Restoration Of Attentional Deficits After Concussion, Katharine B. Earle

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Difficulties with concentration and attention are among the most prevalent symptoms experienced after concussion. Rest has been the most common form of recovery from concussion; however, new research is suggesting mild mental exertion to be an effective aid in recovery. Drawing from Attention Restoration Theory, this study evaluated the idea that cognitive engagement with natural environments can mitigate post-concussion directed-attention deficits. A between subjects repeated measures design was used to test directed-attention after video exposure to restorative/nature and nonrestorative/city environments. Measures of mood, connectedness to environment, and symptomology scores were also collected. No meaningful difference between exposure type was found …

Longitudinal Examination Of Perceived Stress And Depression Symptomology In Division I Student-Athletes, Bobby Daigle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

CONTEXT: Concussions are all too prevalent in amongst athletes. Concussions make up almost 5 percent of all collegiate athletic injuries. Concussions have been linked with many long lasting effects including depression and increased stress or anxiety.

OBJECTIVE: To longitudinally examine post-concussion depression and stress levels in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division 1 athletes.

DESIGN: Descriptive longitudinal study.

SETTING: National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I collegiate athletics.

PARTICIPANTS: Concussed and uninjured Division I collegiate athletes, ages 18-22, competing in football, women’s soccer, baseball, softball, and women’s track.

INTERVENTION(S): Participants completed the CES-D at baseline, 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months …

Current Concussion Education Practices In Ncaa Member Institutions: A Descriptive Study, Samuel E. Johnson Ii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: To investigate concussion education implementation methods in NCAA member institutions.

Methods: Of the 1,078 athletic trainers across all NCAA Divisions that were contacted, 355 were included in this study. Participants were asked to complete the Current Concussion Education Practices Questionnaire (CCEPQ). The CCEPQ consisted of four sections: demographics, concussion education questionnaire, perceived effectiveness of concussion education, and limitations/barrier to providing concussion education. Outcome frequencies were used to report survey results. Respondent division-level categorical differences across survey items were assessed with a 2X3 chi-square test of independence.

Results: Providing concussion education occurs in 98.9% of NCAA member institutions. Educating student …

Effects Of Expected Service Life Exposures On The Functional Properties And Impact Performance Of An American Football Helmet Outer Shell Material, David E. Krzeminski

Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation is to gain a greater scientific understanding of the changes in functional material properties and impact performance of an American football helmet outer shell material under expected service life exposures. The research goals are to (i) quantify chemical, physical, thermal, and mechanical degradation of an American football outer shell material under expected environmental conditions and (ii) develop a linear drop test impact protocol to employ expected on-field impact conditions to American football helmet components and a plaque-foam (i.e., shell-liner) surrogate. Overall, a step-wise progression of analysis was demonstrated to concurrently quantify and understand changes in …

The Impact Of Educational Materials On Collegiate Student-Athletes’ Knowledge Of Sports Related Concussions, Ryan Johnson

Graduate Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of three different types of concussion education materials for collegiate athletes and to evaluate knowledge transfer. Three different types of educational materials were used to educate the athlete. The athlete completed a pretest, completed an educational module, and then completed a posttest. Two weeks later the athlete completed a retention test. A total of 51 subjects participated in the study. The subjects were evaluated on a pretest, posttest, and retention test. Data were analyzed based on an independent t-test to compare pretest scores between athletes who have been previously concussed …

Coaching And Concussions: Prevention, Education, And Perspective, Colby J. Felts

Honors Thesis

The large participation of players and coaches in football has made it one of the most popular sports in America. Concussions have specifically gained national attention in football due to frequent, high impact collisions. A concussion injury poses a unique threat in high school football because of the developing adolescent brain and high participation numbers. Additionally, lack of medical personnel to diagnose concussions at the high school level imposes a legal duty on the coaches. The thesis develops a recommended plan of action for directors of Iowa high school football to assist in preserving the future of the sport. A …

Evaluation Of Linear And Nonlinear Postural Stability Measurements Following Concussion, Kelsey Evans

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sport related concussions affect nearly 1.6 to 3.8 million athletes annually in the United States. A large number of these athletes suffer from postural instability following concussion. Postural control assessment has become a recommended tool to determine readiness to return to play. Measurement of postural control through the use of center of pressure (CoP) variables may provide a sensitive evaluation following concussion and throughout recovery. Purpose: To evaluate a unipedal and bipedal quiet stance protocol consisting of linear and nonlinear CoP measurements with varying durations in a concussed population throughout recovery. Methods: Thirteen NCAA Division I Collegiate Football players (age: …

High School Football Players Underreport Head Injuries: A Descriptive Comparative Study, Hillary Mn Oaks

Master of Science in Nursing Evidence-Based Practice Projects

Introduction: Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries (MTBIs) are some of the most common injuries that occur in the adolescent athlete population, and yet experts believe that MTBI’s are underreported. Most state athletic organizations require annual Pre-Participation Examinations in order to participate in high school sports. The purpose of this study was to research the effectiveness of the Ohio High School Athletic Association Pre-Participation Exam (OHSAA PPE) form in eliciting previous MTBIs.

Method: A descriptive, correlational study was conducted with 43 high school football players at a mass-screening event.

Results: There was a statistically significant underreporting of MTBI’s on …