Tag: sports

Making sports safer- concussion evaluation, management and return to play decision making for the non-neurologist

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Nitin K Sethi, MD, MBBS, FAAN

sethinitinmd@hotmail.com

Background

American football, soccer, rugby, ice hockey, boxing, mixed martial arts, and wrestling are popular contact and combat sports both in the United States and in countries around the world. In these sports head impact exposures resulting in concussions are common. In American football, rugby and soccer, concussive injuries to the brain occur accidently when there is contact of the player’s head with the opposing player(s) head, torso, turf or as occurs in soccer with the ball while heading. In boxing every punch thrown at the head is thrown with the intention of winning by causing a knockout. As a result, concussions, and acute traumatic brain injuries such as subdural and epidural hematoma are common. Subdural hematoma is the most common cause of boxing related mortality. In recent years, the risk of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a chronic neurodegenerative disorder associated with contact and combat sports has garnered the attention of physicians, players, and fans.

Concussion definition and evaluation

Concussion is defined as a clinical syndrome characterized by immediate and transient alteration in brain function, including alteration of mental status and level of consciousness, resulting from mechanical force or trauma. It is important to remember that loss of consciousness is not required for a concussion. Concussions are informally and non-scientifically graded into mild, moderate, and severe based on the duration of loss of consciousness and post traumatic amnestic period. Concussive properties of any head impact exposure depend upon the force, velocity, and angle of the hit to the cranium and how the mechanical forces are transferred and absorbed through the intracranial cavity. Both linear and rotational (angular) acceleration forces play a role as does impact deceleration occurring when the athlete falls and strikes the head against the ground.

Image Credit: Patrick J. Lynch, medical illustrator – Modified version of Image: Skull and brain normal human.svg by Patrick J. Lynch, medical illustrator (Source Wikipedia). The image is solely for educational purposes only.

The nature of many contact and combat sports is such that head impact exposures cannot be altogether avoided. Abundant medical literature highlights the long-term health significance of multiple head impact exposures. Minor concussions (sub concussive injuries) contribute to the development of CTE, a neurodegenerative disorder presenting with a constellation of cognitive, mood, and behavioral changes along with motor system dysfunction (Parkinsonism) usually after the athlete has retired. The symptoms of concussion are predominantly subjective such as headache, dizziness, nausea, light sensitivity, sound sensitivity, and cognitive dysfunction. Frequently, when athletes sustain head impact exposures, they themselves are unaware that they are concussed and continue to play. As a result, it is important that when an athlete sustains a head impact exposure, a standardized concussion evaluation be conducted. While this can be conducted on the sidelines, evaluation in the locker room where the athlete is less likely to be distracted is more ideal. Since some athletes exhibit motor signs such as impaired coordination, balance, and stance after a concussion while others exhibit only cognitive dysfunction, it is important that multimodal concussion evaluation be conducted. This includes use of Maddocks questions to gauge awareness, standardized concussion assessment tools such as SCAT5, King Devick test and Balance Error Scoring System (BESS).

Concussions are common in soccer especially during heading the ball.

Management of concussive injury

The athlete’s mentality is to never quit. Hence many athletes will deny symptoms of a concussive injury to the brain. Physicians should be aware of this. An athlete who has suffered a concussion should be pulled out of play and “benched.” This is done for two main reasons. A concussed athlete with impaired attention, concentration, balance, and coordination is more prone to a second head impact exposure. The other reason is that if the concussed athlete continues to play, it is likely that he or she will exhibit more profound and prolonged post-concussion symptoms. The benched athlete is advised a period of cognitive and physical rest. The rationale for this is that a concussed brain is in a state of energy crises and fares better when the cognitive and physical demands on it are less. Cognitive rest entails pulling back from cognitive activities such as team meetings, college work, screen time (amount of time spent using devices with screens such as a smartphone, computer, television, or video game console). Physical rest entails pulling back from normal physical activities such as running and jogging. Here it is important to emphasize that complete cocooning is ill-advised with recent research work showing that it may in fact be detrimental and lead to prolongation of symptoms. The concussed athlete should be evaluated by a physician skilled in concussion management. In most cases neuroimaging with computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging is not warranted and if conducted comes back negative. There is currently no validated imaging or biofluid (blood or cerebrospinal fluid) biomarkers for concussion. In the absence of biomarkers, the diagnosis of concussion is made clinically based on history of head impact exposure followed by characteristic symptoms (post-concussion symptoms). The concussed athlete is advised to drink adequate water and to avoid alcohol intake and sudden inversions till symptomatic. The role of supplements such as magnesium, vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B12, fish oil among other remains unclear but these are frequently prescribed. There is no treatment for the head injury itself. Treatments for symptoms of concussion such as headache, dizziness, cognitive impairment, poor sleep, mood, and behavioral disorder involves a multi-disciplinary team consisting of neurologists, neuropsychologists, neurosurgeons, neuroradiologists, neuro-ophthalmologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and vestibular therapists with expertise in concussion management.

After a few days of cognitive and physical rest when the acute concussion symptoms have abated, the athlete begins a graded and gradual return to play (RTP) program preferably under the guidance of an athlete trainer with expertise in concussion management. Nowadays most contact and combat sports have sport specific return to play (RTP) protocols. Despite individual variations, the basis tenant remains the same and involves the athlete progressing from light aerobic activity (walking or stationary bike for 10 minutes, no resistance training) to sport-specific activity/drills to non-contact training drills to contact practice and if asymptomatic return to play after a release has been signed by the treating physician.

Conclusion

Concussion is a common head injury in contact and combat sports. Timely identification of the concussed athlete, removal from play and medical management usually results in a good outcome. Closer medical supervision of sports and education of all concerned parties on concussion recognition and management remains the need of the hour.

Concussions and the risk of post-traumatic epilepsy

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Concussions and the risk of post-traumatic epilepsy

 

A concussion is a complex pathophysiological process affecting the brain, induced by traumatic biomechanical forces. Immediately following a concussion, an athlete is usually advised physical and cognitive rest till post-concussion symptoms abate. The athlete then enters a stepwise return to play protocol. Premature return to play risks a second concussion, second impact syndrome, exacerbation and persistence of post-concussive symptoms.

 

Sports and Epilepsy

Sport is important not only in normal healthy populations, but also in persons with medical illness, physical or mental disabilities. Active participation in sports is beneficial physically and psychologically. The main concern in sports for persons with epilepsy is safety.

 

Why are people with epilepsy restricted from some sports?

 

Rationale is that the occurrence of an untimely seizure during certain sporting event has the potential for causing substantial injury and bodily harm both to the patient with epilepsy as well as fellow athletes and even spectators.

 

Example: if a person with epilepsy has a generalized convulsion or a complex partial seizure while skydiving: he shall not be able to deploy his parachute and a fatal accident can occur.

 

:a person with epilepsy taking part in an automobile racing event suffers a seizure while making a bend at speeds in excess of 100mph

 

:a person with epilepsy suffers a seizure while taking part in a swimming meet.

 

:a person with epilepsy suffers a seizure while bicycling

 

:a person with epilepsy suffers a seizure while horseback riding

 

:a person with epilepsy suffers a seizure while skiing down a steep hill

 

:even things more mundane such as having a seizure while running on a treadmill, while playing tennis, while jogging outside have the potential to cause bodily harm to the patient and others.

 

 

Why are people with epilepsy restricted from some sports?

 

Rationale is that repeated injury to the head (concussions) during some sports could potentially exacerbate seizures.

Example: a person with epilepsy who is indulging in contact sports such as boxing, karate, kick-boxing, muay thai boxing, American football, ice-hockey, wrestling, judo

 

But are these restrictions and fears actually based on scientific evidence or are they unfounded? Which sports are safe and which are not? Could indulgence in some sports make seizures potentially worse Vs. could some sports actually be beneficial for people with epilepsy (physically and psychologically)? Can vigorous physical exercise provoke seizures?

 

 

Exercise and seizures

 

One reason that people with epilepsy have been traditionally restricted from certain sports is the fear both in the patient and the treating physician that exercise especially aerobic exercise may exacerbate seizures. Some studies have shown an increase in interictal discharges during or after exercise. Most frequently these patients have generalized epilepsies. At least some frontal lobe and temporal lobe seizures are clearly precipitated or at times solely occur during exercise suggests that these are a form of reflex epilepsies. A number of physiologic mechanism by which seizures may be provoked by exercise have been postulated. These include hyperventilation with resultant hypocarbia and alkalosis induced by exercise. Another possible mechanism which is postulated to cause exercise induced seizures is hypoglycemia. This usually causes seizures after exercise in diabetic patients. Other mechanisms which have been postulated for exercise triggered seizures include the physical and psychological stress of competitive sports and potential changes in anti-epileptic drug metabolism. Exercise is a complex behavior and involves not such the motor system and the motor cortex but also involves other domains such as attention, concentration, vigilance and presumably some limbic networks which mediate motivation, aggression and competitiveness. Hence it is possible that patients who have temporal or frontal lobe epilepsy may on rare occasions have seizures triggered by exercise.

 

There is some limited evidence that exercise may in fact be protective and have physical, physiological and psychological benefits in patients with epilepsy. Electroencephalographic studies have shown that inter-ictal epileptiform discharges either remain unchanged or may decrease during exercise so there is some hint that exercise may actually raise the seizure threshold. Regular exercise also influences neuronal and hippocampal plasticity by upregulation of neurotropic factors. There is further evidence to suggest that regular physical exercise can improve the quality of life, reduce anxiety and depression and improve seizure control in patients with chronic epilepsy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What sports are off limits for people with epilepsy?

 

No sport is completely off limit for a patient with epilepsy. Key though is proper supervision to reduce the potential for injury. There are some sports such as skydiving, automobile racing, swimming in the open seas and horseback riding which should be avoided by patients with epilepsy. Other sports can be enjoyed by patients with epilepsy but one should remember that they all have the potential to result in bodily harm if seizures occur when the patient is not supervised or if he is not wearing protective head and body gear.

 

 

Concussion and seizures (post traumatic epilepsy): what is the link?

 

The link between concussion (closed head trauma) and seizures has been and continues to be closely looked at. The fear of concussions (minor head trauma) making seizures worse is the prime reason why people with epilepsy are discouraged from some sports such as tackle football, ice-hockey, boxing, mixed martial arts and wrestling. The human skull is quite resilient and the closed head trauma has to be significant for it to result in seizures. Usually a concussion which results in prolonged loss of consciousness (some authors say more than 30 minutes) is graded as a significant head trauma. Minor bumps and bruises to the head do not cause seizures, do not increase the risk of future seizures and more importantly do not make chronic epilepsy worse. Seizures may occur immediately following a severe closed head trauma. Immediate post traumatic seizures by definition occur within 24 hours of the injury. They have also been referred to as impact seizures. Early post traumatic epilepsy refers to seizures which occur about a week to 6 months after the injury. Seizures may occur as far out at 2 to 5 years after head trauma (late post traumatic epilepsy). Factors which increase the risk of post traumatic seizures/ epilepsy include severity of trauma, prolonged loss of consciousness (more than 24 hours), penetrating head injury, intra or extraaxial hemorrhage, depressed skull fracture and early post traumatic seizures.

Counseling patients

 

Patients with epilepsy should be encouraged to exercise and take part in sports. My personal feeling is that no sport should be off limits to them with the exception of maybe sky-diving, river rafting and boxing. The goal should be exercising and playing sports safely. Walking, running, cycling and yoga are great exercises which can be indulged in with little to no risks. I advise all my patients with epilepsy (especially those with poorly controlled epilepsy) to wear a Medic Alert bracelet or carry a card in their wallet. This is of immense help were a seizure to occur in the field (as for example when a patient is jogging or cycling and is not in the immediate vicinity of his or her home). Low risk recreational sports such as walking or running usually do not need a one is to one supervision if seizures are well controlled by history. Team sports such as volleyball, basketball, baseball and softball are popular sports which carry a low risk of injury. For cycling I advise my patients to wear a helmet and have their bikes fitted with lights and reflectors. I also advise them to keep off from the busy city streets. “you do not want to have a seizure at the wrong place and at the wrong time”. Swimming is a great way to keep fit and also to meet and make friends. I feel many patients with epilepsy are discouraged from swimming due to an irrational fear of caregivers and physicians of drowning. I advise my patients not to swim alone. Most of the city pools have life guards and a polite request to them to keep a watch out goes a long way in reassuring both the patient and the caregivers. Swimming in the open seas is more risky. I advise my patients to swim close to the beach under the watchful eyes of a life guard. Also having a buddy around helps, preferably someone strong enough to pull the patient out of the water if a seizure was to occur. The option of wearing a life jacket is under utilized.

 

Final thoughts (a patient’s perspective)

 

These are the thoughts of a young patient of mine:

 

“I have always been a very active person and love playing sports such as Tennis, Yoga, Running etc, and I always try to pursue my dreams and not let things get in the way, but being epileptic, it is sometime hard to not worry about things happening. Whenever I play sports I get hot easily (face turns purple) and in the back of my head I find myself always hoping that nothing happens that would cause me to have a seizure. I ran my first half marathon two years ago, and in the back of my head there is always the thought of something happening, so I started to motivate myself by saying “I can do this, you will be fine.” My father taught me when I was younger that I can choose to let it hold me back or make the most of life! Many people consider epilepsy a disability, but I try not to because I don’t let it hold me back.”

 

 

Nitin K Sethi, MD, MBBS, FAAN Assistant Professor of Neurology New York-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell Medical Center

More about concussions. Not everything becomes apparent after closed head injury!

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In this post I shall dwell on the important issue of concussion. A concussion usually refers to loss of consciousness following a closed head injury. By closed head injury I mean that nothing penetrates into the brain. The skull is usually intact. The duration of loss of consciousness is frequently used to grade the severity of closed head injury/ concussion into mild, moderate and severe. However this grading is quite arbitary and other factors have to be borne in mind such as the age of the patient, the mechanism of injury, the force of injury, presence of pre-existing neurological disease such as dementia and whether protective head gear was worn by the person (such as a helmet).

Concussions are common and can occur in many common day to day activities contrary to common belief that concussions only occur in the setting of a motor vehicle accident (MVA) in the case of civilian life or on the battlefield. Concussions are commonly sustained during sports. Indulgence in some sports especially contact sports such as boxing, ultimate fighting (mixed martial arts), American football, rugby, soccer and wrestling to name only a few are more likely to result in a concussion.

So concussions are common and hence the recent heightened concerns about the short term and long term impact of concussions on the brain. Some of you may be well aware of terms such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), boxers encephalopathy, dementia pugilistica and “punch drunk syndrome”.  They all imply that concussions do have a significant adverse effect on the brain. There is now ample evidence to indicate that multiple concussions (sustained in a person’s lifetime) cause memory and other cognitive problems. They may also predispose to dementia and a secondary Parkinsonian syndrome.

So it is imperative that concussions be recognized early so that the patient can receive adequate medical attention. This is expecially true on the playing field (whether it is a school, college or a professional sport arena). The fear is that many concussions go undetected and the player is allowed to return to play prematurely and risk a second (at times fatal) concussion. For concussions to be recognized in a timely fashion parents, coaches, personal trainers and other team officials need to be trained to identify concussions. A cursory examination is NOT enough and there is a recent thrust to have every player be examined by a physician. The physician after examining the player and considering the mechanism of injury and whether the player has sustained a prior concussion (in that game itself or in the recent past) shall then determine when the player can return back to play.

So not everything is apparent after a closed head injury. If you or any of your loved ones has sustained a concussion, bring them to the attention of a qualified physician. A big onus remains on parents who should demand more close supervision in school during play.

Nitin Sethi, MD