A concussion is a traumatic brain injury that occurs when your brain is shaken inside your skull.

This incident can potentially damage the blood vessels in your brain or injure its tissue. Concussions are referred to as an ‘invisible injury’ since a concussion’s symptoms aren’t always easy to recognize and even MRI imaging isn’t perfect at identifying one. According to Scientific American, one blow to the head may increase your risk of developing a mental health disorder. All it takes is a hard tumble on the basketball court or a blow to your head, neck or body. Yes, that’s right — you don’t necessarily have to hit your head. For example, when your body jolts suddenly due to a hard tackle or a car accident, it can cause whiplash and a concussion.

 

Concussions and sports: When you need to step back and manage a concussion. 

 

Some people think concussions only happen if you black out. But nine out of ten concussions

don’t result in a loss of consciousness and some only cause a brief interruption in mental alertness. Studies find that most high school and college athletes don’t report concussions while playing football. They may not realize that a concussion can happen even if they don’t black out.

In the past, athletes in many sports returned to play too soon after suffering a concussion, sometimes even on the same day. But thanks, in part, to Rowan’s Law, sports and health organizations are starting to take these injuries much more seriously. Trainers, healthcare professionals and athletes themselves are watching more closely for concussions. They are also taking a more conservative approach to rehabilitation and return to play. This is an important change for the health of athletes everywhere. Here are some points to consider and steps you can take to reduce your risk of long-term effects:

 

1. How can I tell if I have a concussion?

First, you need to know if you have a concussion. Effective concussion management starts with

recognizing the signs and symptoms, some of which may show up hours or days after your

injury. It’s important for parents, coaches, trainers and athletes to recognize the warning signs

and remove the athlete from play if any of them are present.

 

Check for warning signs of a concussion, which typically include:

-Difficulty thinking clearly, concentrating or remembering new information, headache, blurry vision, queasiness or vomiting, dizziness, balance problems or sensitivity to

noise or light, irritability, moodiness, sadness or nervousness, extreme sleepiness or difficulty falling asleep or remaining asleep.

 

It is important to note that concussion symptoms can vary widely from person to person. One person might suffer from pain, while another may experience depression and have difficulty sleeping.

 

Visit to a trusted and licensed healthcare professional as soon as possible:

 

Any athlete with potential concussion warning signs should see a medical doctor or nurse

practitioner as quickly as possible for a diagnosis. Remember, there is no simple test for a

concussion. You can miss a concussion if you rely only on a five-minute assessment done on the sidelines. (Note: If this incident did not occur during sport, another licensed health care

professional, such as a Chiropractor, is permitted to assess you and diagnose a concussion.)

 

Athletes, coaches, parents and healthcare professionals should all be up to date on concussion

safety. If you are not comfortable dealing with a concussion yourself, have a plan in place so you know exactly who to ask for help to identify and manage a concussion if someone shows

warning signs.

 

2. What should I do immediately after to manage a concussion?

If you’ve had a concussion, the first 10 days are crucial. During this time, you’re at the greatest

risk for another. Not only that, the risk of a second concussion rises every time you have one. If

you can protect yourself in those first few days, you’ll have much better odds of a full recovery.

 

3. When can I return to play?

Most people recover from a concussion within a few days to three months. The Zurich

Consensus statement on concussion recovery recommends the following five stages of

rehabilitation:

 

No activity – Focus on recovery. Rest your body and your mind.

 

Light aerobic exercise – Get your heart rate up with light activities, such as walking, swimming

and stationary cycling, but don’t go past 70% of your maximum heart rate. Your goal is to

increase your heart rate without risk of re-injury. Do not do any resistance training yet.

 

Sport-specific exercise – Add movement by re-introducing sport-specific movement, like skating

or running drills in soccer. Don’t do anything that might put your head at risk of being hit.

 

Non-contact training drills – Add more complex training drills to improve your exercise,

coordination and working memory (cognitive load). This can include passing drills in football or

hockey. You may start resistance training again.

 

Full-contact practice: Resume normal training once you attain ‘medical clearance’ to confirm it’s

okay. This will build your confidence and skills before returning to play. A medical doctor or

nurse practitioner can provide this medical clearance. A Chiropractor can also co-manage return

to play decisions and sports-specific guidelines.

 

If you experience recurring symptoms at any stage in your recovery, restart this process and

remain inactive until the symptoms cease.

 

Once you complete these five stages, you can return to play but only after a licensed healthcare

professional, who is trained in evaluating and managing concussions, gives you medical

clearance to do so.

 

What role does your healthcare team play?

A medical doctor or nurse practitioner can provide a thorough assessment, concussion diagnosis and manage your condition. They can also evaluate ‘when’ you can safely return to play and provide medical clearance for you to do so.

 

The value of an interprofessional care team:

In all cases, it’s valuable to have a team, with various healthcare professionals, working

together to help manage your concussion and get you back to your sport or activity safely, with an eye on your long-term health.

 

A Chiropractor is often on the sidelines at sporting events, as a trainer or team Chiropractor to

prevent and address spine, muscle or joint injuries. Chiropractors in Canada are not currently

permitted to diagnose a concussion that occurs during sport. However, they have the

competencies, including neurological assessment skills, to assess and give you an informed

referral to the appropriate healthcare professional for further evaluation/treatment. Your

Chiropractor will also work with your interprofessional care team to help manage your

condition, if needed.

 

While you’re resting and recovering, these injuries might resolve on their own. If not, a

Chiropractor can help you recover and work with your care team to co-manage your return to

play. As part of this process, a Chiropractor can evaluate your strength and physical function to

help you know when your body is ready to get back in the game.

 

Some of the best-known strategies for managing a concussion include education,

encouragement and a commitment to getting you back to your daily activities as soon as it is

safe and appropriate. It takes a committed approach from the right healthcare team, along with

your family and friends, to help you avoid or overcome many of a concussion’s negative results.

Author:  Dr. Marco De Ciantis, D.C.

As manual healthcare professionals, we tend to view large areas of a patient’s skin.  Often, the visualized skin is in areas that patients may not be able to regularly assess such as their upper and lower backs. As such, we often are able to view skin anomalies that the patient may not only not be experiencing symptoms from but even know exist.  Occasionally, these conditions can mimic (in appearance and symptomatology) regular run of the mill injuries. This is where our education, training and extensive testing methods become crucial in determining how to treat a patient and determining  the requirement of a specialist referral and/or testing. One of the conditions we often suspect is “Cellulitis”.

 

Cellulitis is a relatively common infection of the skin caused by bacteria accessing a break in the skin and spreading from that point. Breaks in the skin can occur during sporting events/activities, surgery or even a bone infection. The signs of Cellulitis include:  warm skin, pain, swelling, redness, leaking of yellow fluid/pus from the painful area and red streaking in the area of infection. Progression of Cellulitis can lead to a more serious cluster of symptoms including numbness in the area of infection, fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, enlargement and/or hardening of the area of infection.

 

Our treatment staff are trained to assess areas of injury and determine if there is a musculoskeletal issue present and rule out skin conditions such as Cellulitis. If Cellulitis is suspected, our staff would immediately refer you to the nearest ER for assessment and intervention.

 

Visit our website or call our head office at 416-385-0110 to book your next appointment today!

 

Author:  Dr. Paolo De Ciantis, B.Sc.(Hons.), M.Sc., D.C.

Lifting Your Luggage Correctly

 

In the flurry of packing for a vacation or business trip, it’s easy to get carried away and pack everything but the kitchen sink into your suitcase and carry-on. However, over-packed luggage along with improper lifting and carrying techniques are common causes of low back, shoulder and neck injuries. The good news is many of these injuries can easily be prevented. The following tips can help take the pain out of your

vacation:

 

Choosing your luggage:

When shopping for new luggage, look for a sturdy, light, high-quality and transportable piece. Avoid purchasing luggage that is too heavy or bulky when empty. Choosing a bag with wheels and a handle can go a long way to lighten your load. A good quality backpack with adjustable, padded shoulder straps and a waist strap makes an ideal carry-on because, when worn properly, backpacks can evenly distribute weight.

 

Packing your luggage:

Over-packing is an easy pitfall. The larger and heavier the luggage, the more

susceptible you are to neck, back and shoulder injuries. Try to only pack what you absolutely need. When possible, place items in a few smaller bags, instead of one large luggage piece. Ensure your carry-on luggage does not weigh more than 10-15% of your body weight. Keep the contents of any carry-on luggage to a minimum, pack heavy items at the bottom of the bag and make efficient use of the bag’s pockets.

 

Lifting and carrying your luggage:

Lifting your luggage can’t always be avoided, even if your luggage has wheels. But practicing safe lifting techniques can substantially reduce your risk of injury. Move slowly and, whenever possible, break the action into smaller parts. For instance, when loading a suitcase in the trunk of a car, try lifting it first onto a chair or step-stool, then lifting it into the trunk. Similarly, when placing luggage in an overhead compartment, first lift it onto the top of the seat. When lifting your luggage, first get close to the load and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend at the knees and let your leg muscles, rather than your back, do the lifting. Hold the load close to your body. Avoid twisting. Instead, turn your feet in the direction you are headed and turn your entire body in that direction. Do not carry bulky luggage for long peri­ods of time. Make sure to check heavier items when travelling rather than carrying them for the duration of the trip. Try to carry light pieces in each hand rather than a single heavy item on one side. If using a backpack,

use both shoulder straps and the waist strap, and adjust them to minimize the bag’s movement. If using a duffel or shoulder bag, switch sides often to reduce strain. 

 

If you’re experiencing pain from lifting something heavy, visit your Chiropractor! In Ontario, you don’t need a referral to see a Chiropractor.

Author:  Dr. Marco De Ciantis, D.C.