MORRISTOWN, NJ – The spring sports season has arrived. It’s early in the season and although concussions can’t be totally avoided, Dr. Chopra of Genesis Orthopaedic and Spine says there are ways that athletes can reduce their risk of concussions.
” There’s no true way to completely avoid a concussion”, said Dr. Chopra. “However, one effective tip for athletes to reduce the risk of concussions is to always wear proper protective gear, such as helmets, during sports activities where head injuries are a possibility. This can help prevent a substantial brain injury. Additionally, focusing on proper techniques such a heads up tackling in football and following safety guidelines provided by your athletic trainer and team physicians can help minimize the likelihood of sustaining a concussion”, he said.
Athletes who may have sustained a concussion may see symptoms resolve in a few weeks. However, roughly 20% of all concussions do take longer to resolve.
“How long concussion symptoms last depends on variability and age”, said Dr. Griffin. “Return to play is managed based on patient symptoms, performance on testing and in coordination with a physical therapist and trainer. Non-contact exercise early on will decrease symptoms and help patients return to baseline more quickly”, he said.
It’s important for athletes to get a concussion injury treated correctly. Do you know the signs of a concussion?
Genesis Orthopaedic Spine shares that the five signs you may have a concussion are:
- Ongoing headache
- Confusion
- Blurry
- Double Vision
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Memory Loss
Doctors Vinay Chopra and Matthew Griffin are credentialed ImPACT Consultants (CIC), having completed extensive training in order to give premium quality assessment and care for concussions. Both were featured in a new case study recently published by ImPACT Applications, Inc. which is one of the largest concussion testing organizations in the United States.
Genesis Orthopaedic and Spine offers telemed services for concussions as well as neurobehavioral and neuropsychological testing, and offer balance testing using Biodex Biosway.
Patient, Michael E. said Dr. Chopra was empathetic and knowledgeable. The concussion exam was “very thorough”.
