[Described Video]: this video contains descriptive video.
Throughout, a hand holding a pen draws objects, words and figures.
[Male Narrator]: Hi there! We all know that physical activity and exercise are key to
healthy living and sports are a great way to get our bodies moving.
[Described Video]: A baseball player sprints towards home base.
[Male Narrator]: But we also need to know about safety and how to respond to injuries.
Most of the time like with scrapes, sprains and breaks it's pretty obvious what happened
and what you need to do.
[Described Video]: She falls and injures her ankle badly.
[Male Narrator]: It's different with brain injuries such as concussions, because the
injury is actually in the brain so it doesn't show on the outside or even on X-rays, CT scans
or MRIs.
[Described Video]: Three objects pop up: a picture of a brain as well as two large medical
machines labeled CT scan and MRI.
[Male Narrator]: Still a person with a concussion feels the effects and needs the proper care
to get better.
Concussions are caused by a blow to the head, face, neck or body from a fall, a hit or anything
that knocks someone with enough force that their brain moves around inside their skull.
Concussions may affect the way a person thinks feels and acts.
Most people recover within one to four weeks but for some the symptoms can be long lasting
and may even result in long-term issues such as memory problems or depression.
Concussions are serious injuries that need proper care to get better, and that's why
it's important that athletes, students, coaches, team trainers, officials, educators and families
all learn how to recognize, respond to, manage and even prevent concussions,
[Described Video]: An inside view of a head shows a brain with a purple haze around it.
[Male Narrator]: So what do you need to know? Let's begin with prevention; it's the best
medicine.
Start by educating yourself about concussions, like you're doing right now.
[Described Video]: Website address ontario.ca/ concussions.
A guide's title page reads Concussion Awareness Resource: Rowan's Law.
[Male Narrator]: Make sure you and anyone you're supervising are wearing the right equipment
for the sport, that everything fits properly and that it's in good condition.
Staying safe also means everyone needs to understand and respect the rules of the sport.
It's important that everyone commits to their sport organization or school's concussion
code of conduct.
You should promote an environment where everyone is encouraged to report injuries and feel
supported when they do.
Ignoring a concussion can lead to further injury and long-term issues, so you should
understand the dangers of the all-too-common tough-it-out mentality.
Now, how do you recognize a concussion?
Everyone can help if they know what to look and listen for.
First, consider whether this might be a more serious injury.
Certain red flags mean that this is an emergency and you should call 9-1-1.
Don't leave the person alone.
Red flags include neck pain or tenderness, double vision, weakness or tingling in the
arms or legs, severe or increasing headache, seizure or convulsion, loss of consciousness
and vomiting more than once.
Also watch for any growing confusion or increasing restlessness or agitation like if the person
gets more aggressive or even angry.
It's helpful to remember that concussions are brain injuries and the brain does a lot
of things from telling your body how to move, to processing what you see, to learning new
things and regulating your emotions.
This means a brain injury can have a number of different signs or symptoms.
They might start right away or take hours even days to show up.
Just one sign or symptom is enough to suspect a concussion.
We usually group concussion signs and symptoms into four categories: Physical, Cognitive
(or thinking), Emotional and Sleep related.
Let's start with physical symptoms.
The most common is headaches.
People often describe feeling pressure in their head as if there's a power saw running
through it.
They might also feel dizzy or nauseous maybe even throw up.
They might stumble around or lose their balance.
Other symptoms include blurred vision, sensitivity to light or sound, or ringing in the ears.
The person might feel tired, drowsy, or like they have no energy.
Sometimes, people, especially younger children, can't express how they're feeling and might
just say they don't feel right.
And, despite what many people think, most people with a concussion don't lose consciousness.
[Described Video]: Observed by a volleyball player kneeling close by, a hurt player sits
on the ground.
A purple haze around their head.
[Male Narrator]: The second set of symptoms relate to thinking - feeling confused or just
not thinking as clearly or quickly as usual.
Also having a tough time concentrating and memory problems, like not remembering what
happened just before and after the injury.
[Described Video]: Thought bubbles full of question marks float around the head of an
injured Person.
[Male Narrator]: The third are emotional symptoms, like getting upset or angry easily, feeling
sad, or nervous or anxious.
Some people experience depression.
Number four are symptoms related to sleep.
A person might find that they're having trouble falling and staying asleep, or the opposite;
they might want to sleep a lot.
So now you know what to look for.
If you suspect a concussion here's what to do.
One,
[Described Video]: A coach escorts a player off the playing field.
[Male Narrator]: Remove yourself or the injured athlete from activity right away; this is
a must.
Continued participation puts people with concussions at risk of more severe, longer lasting symptoms.
[Described Video]: The player who was being escorted is shown colliding with another as
they chase a soccer ball.
[Male Narrator]: Two, if you're supervising the sport or activity, call the parent or
guardian if the athlete is under 18, or the emergency contact if the athlete is over 18.
[Described Video]: The coach uses a cell phone to call the injured player's parents.
[Male Narrator]: Three, don't leave individuals with a suspected concussion alone.
And four, anyone removed from sport with a possible concussion needs to get checked by
a physician or nurse practitioner as soon as possible.
They shouldn't return to unrestricted participation in training, practice or competition until
they've received medical clearance.
Creating a culture of safety means promoting an environment where everyone talks openly
about concussions and understands the importance of letting others know if something doesn't
feel right.
That's why communication is so important, especially since many concussion symptoms
are things that someone feels, and not necessarily things that others can easily see.
Anyone with a concussion should let others know, including their sport teams, clubs,
schools, coaches, team trainers and educators.
Sport teams, clubs and schools can then support an athlete in returning to school, physical
activity and sport.
So quick review; if you're hit, stop and sit out.
See a physician or nurse practitioner.
Then focus on getting better.
And most people with concussions do get better in one to four weeks.
But some take longer.
Some people may experience symptoms such as headaches, neck pain or vision problems, for
months or even years.
Others may have lasting changes in their brain that lead to issues such as memory loss, concentration
problems or depression.
In rare cases a person who suffers multiple brain injuries without healing in between
may develop dangerous swelling in their brain, a condition known as second impact syndrome,
that can result in severe disability or death.
[Described Video]: A team watches the game from a bench but one of the team members fade
away.
[Male Narrator]: Each concussion is unique, so don't compare one person's recovery to
someone else's.
Lots of people, especially athletes have had injuries that required them to rest and recover.
If you sprain your ankle you can't run it until it's healed or else you risk re-injuring
it or making things worse.
It's the same with a concussion.
Except how do you rest and recover the brain?
[Described Video]: Brain resting on a pillow.
[Male Narrator]: Since the brain is involved with pretty much everything we do, resting
it requires taking a break in a few different ways.
[Described Video]: Now it's dozing on a hammock.
[Male Narrator]: A person with a concussion shouldn't do any activities that may worsen
their symptoms.
[Described Video]: A protective bubble surrounds the brain.
[Male Narrator]: Depending on the person and their symptoms this could mean limiting activities
such as exercise, screen time, or even school work - generally taking it easy mentally and
physically.
This can be easier said than done.
It will take some patience, but remember that rushing back to activities can make things
worse.
Returning to school and sport is a gradual process.
Students in elementary or secondary school who are diagnosed with a concussion by a physician
or nurse practitioner, must follow their school board's return to school plan, which supports
both a gradual return to learning and return to physical activity.
[Described Video]: A clipboard displays Rowan's Law Return to School Plan with check boxes,
and at the bottom, is written: gradual return.
[Male Narrator]: Contact your school for more information.
Other athletes, including those attending college or university, must proceed through their
sport organization's return to sport protocol.
All students and athletes should work with their healthcare professional, sport organization
and school to establish individual plans for returning to school and sport.
Most protocols suggest a 24 to 48 hour rest period before an athlete starts any gradual
return to sport.
An athlete must not resume unrestricted training, practice or competition until they've received
medical clearance.
Most return to support protocols have six steps.
Each step takes at least 24 hours but could take several days.
An athlete is typically ready for the next step when they can do the activities in one
step without new or worsening symptoms.
If symptoms get worse at any step, the athlete should stop and go back to the previous step.
If symptoms don't improve or if they continue to worsen, the athlete should return to their
physician or nurse practitioner.
It's important to understand that slower recoveries don't mean failure and aren't necessarily
worse; it's just what that person needed to heal.
On to the steps.
Step one is light daily activities that don't worsen symptoms.
[Described Video]: Sweeping
[Male Narrator]: Step two is some light aerobic activity - things that increase the heart
rate just a little, like going for a short walk.
Step three is individual physical activity, which might include exercises specific to
a sport: simple drills, like shooting a basketball.
No resistance training, no risk of contact or head impact.
[Described Video]: A protective bubble forms around a person shooting hoops.
[Male Narrator]: It's not until the fourth step that a person can resume team practice
and participate in harder drills, and some resistance training.
There still shouldn't be any physical contact with the injured player - one of many reasons
why it's important the whole team understands and supports the recovery process.
[Described Video]: Now shooting hoops in a group though the protective bubble remains.
[Male Narrator]: Step five is returning to unrestricted practice, including contact where
applicable.
Step six is where the person gets back to regular game play or competition.
Don't forget: medical clearance is always required before the athlete can return to unrestricted
practice, training or competition.
Check with your sport organization and/or school for the specific steps and protocol
that should be followed.
And remember, returning to school comes first, before returning to unrestricted sport.
It's essential to work together to prevent, recognize and manage concussions.
Athletes, students, parents, healthcare professionals, coaches, team trainers, officials and educators
all have a part to play.
It's great for friends and peers to also feel part of this team since they're often the
best source of support and encouragement when someone is recovering from a concussion.
Sports, physical activity and exercise can play a big part in our lives, but nothing
comes before our long-term health.
If a concussion is recognized early and managed properly, the brain can heal just like any
other part of the body.
[Described Video]: The purple haze around the brain fades away.
[Male Narrator]: Remember: One, recognize signs and symptoms of a concussion and remove
yourself or the athlete from the sport or physical activity, even if you feel okay,
or if they insist they're okay.
[Described Video]: An athlete with a purple haze around her head says, I think I’m fine.
Her coach shakes his head in disagreement..
Two, get yourself or the athlete checked out by a physician or nurse practitioner.
[Described Video]: She sits on a medical examination bench.
[Male Narrator]: Three, support gradual return to school and sport.
Thanks for listening.
[Described Video]: This video is part of a series of Rowan's Law concussion awareness
resources.
Rowan's Law was named for Rowan Stringer, a high-school rugby player from Ottawa who died
in the spring of 2013 from a condition known as second impact syndrome (swelling of the
brain caused by a subsequent injury that occurred before a previous injury healed).
Rowan is believed to have experienced three concussions over six days while playing rugby.
She had a concussion but didn't know her brain needed time to heal.
Neither did her parents, teachers or coaches.
These resources are not intended to provide medical advice relating to health care.
For advice on healthcare for concussion symptoms please consult with a physician or nurse practitioner.