SLACoach Education Program

Module 4Concussion Prevention

Policy & Procedures

Introduction

• Mission - To provide the youth of Stafford County the opportunity to learn and play lacrosse at a level commensurate with each individual’s ability, while enjoying the benefits of participating on a sport team.

• Objectives that support the mission:1. to play lacrosse in a safe and organized environment,2. to teach the fundamentals of the game so that each player

can enjoy the sport and progress to the next level3. provide life lessons in accordance with the Positive

Coaching Alliance Double coach program

Purpose

• To inform coaches of SLA’s Concussion prevention policy and procedures

• To inform coaches of the resources available to learn the symptoms of concussions

• Provide sideline management • Provide guidance on proper body checking

techniques

NASPE

• National Association For Sport and Physical Education (NASPE)

• Part of the American alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD)

Publishes the National Standards for Sport Coaches: Quality Coaches, Quality Sports

(NASPE, 2012)

NASPE Domain 2

Safety and Injury Protection• Provide safe facilities• Ensure players are properly equipped• Monitor environmental conditions• Identify physical conditions that predispose injury• Recognize injuries and provide immediate care• Facilitate a sports health care program• Identify psychological implications

The Challenge

• Estimates of 1.6 million sport related concussions per year

• highest rates of emergency department visits for sports concussion occurring for youth ages 10 to14, followed by those ages 15 to19 (CDC, 2007)

• Lacrosse has a concussion rate of 2.6 per 1000 athlete exposures (NCAA, 2012)

• Rates are not decreasing even with significant emphasis on prevention (YSSA, 2011)

The Effect

• Younger players are more vulnerable to the effects of concussion

• Effects are memory and attention problems after concussion (Field, Collins, Lovella & Maroon, 2003)

Responsibility

NCAA

“Institutions shall have a concussion management plan on file such that a student-athlete who exhibits signs, symptoms or behaviors consistent with a concussion shall be removed from practice or competition and evaluated by an athletics healthcare provider with experience in the evaluation and management of concussions.

Student-athletes diagnosed with a concussion shall not return to activity for the remainder of that day.

Medical clearance shall be determined by the team physician or his or her designee according to the concussion management plan.” (NCAA, 2012)

VHSL

The VHSL Handbook (27-2-5) requires that prior to the first practice all coaches must take a recognized course providing both education and prevention regarding concussion as it relates to high school activities. The VHSL further strongly recommends that all participants and parents/guardians take advantage of the NFHS's online video, "Concussion in Sports, What You Need to Know" to learn about the signs, symptoms and treatment of concussions.

Youth

What governs youth sport?

Why is there a knowledge gap in the youth sport coach community

Unfortunately, most individuals coaching youth sports rarely receive any type of formal training in concussion management (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2001).

There is no national standard or policy

Risk Factors

• Risk Factors• The following factors may influence the potential for

injury during intentional player contact:– body composition– Technique– physical and mental capacities– Age– Coaching– equipment

Risk Factors

• Lacrosse is a contact sport

• Body contact and specifically body checking is the leading cause of injury in college lacrosse games and 78% of concussions are the result of player contact; 94% in high school(Dick, Romani, Agel, Case & Marshall, 2007) (Caswell, Lincoln, Hepburn, Dunn, & Almquist, nd).

SLAs Policy

SLA’s policy is based on the NCAA’s Concussion Management Plan and Best practices from the NCAA, VHSL and U.S. Lacrosse

This policy is centered around coach and parent education vice athlete as is done at higher levels

SLA Policy

All coaches will receive this policy and information brief

Coaches will be briefed on the parts of the lacrosse game where an athlete is most vulnerable

Coaches will be educated about the signs and symptoms of concussions.

Coaches will complete an online concussion training program

SLA Policy

Coaches are required to conduct a parent meeting to discuss this policy and our sideline management procedures

A process that ensures a student-athlete who exhibits signs, symptoms or behaviors consistent with a concussion shall be removed from SLA activities for that day

A process that requires the coach to notify the parent and seek permission from that parent for the athlete to participate in the next scheduled event

Resources

Resources

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Heads Up Concussion Prevention Program

http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/headsup/online_training.html

Resources

The ACTive program was created by the Oregon Center for Applied Science, Inc., and is now available free of charge at http://activecoach.orcasinc.com.

Contact Sport

As a contact sport lacrosse has events that may increase the potential for concussions:

•Direct Body Checking•Loose/Ground Ball•Shooting

Body Checking

As a helmeted sport the potential for head to head contact is present with body checking:

•Keep the head up•Don’t lunge or leave the feet•Lead with the stick on the hands•Use the lead shoulder to make contact

Body Checking

Rule 5-3-5 will state that an illegal body-check is one that targets a player in a defenseless position. This includes but is not limited toa) body-checking a player from his "blind side“b) body-checking a player who has his head down in an attempt

to play a loose ball;c) body-checking a player whose head is turned away to receive

a pass, even if that player turns toward the contact immediately before the body-check.

A minimum of a two- or three-minute non releasable penalty is assessed for this violation.

Loose Ball Play

When the ball is loose it presents the most frequent and highest potential for contact with the head as players lower their body to address the ball

•Head up and focus on the ball•Keep moving and do not stop to pick up the ball•Do not check a player who is head down and vulnerable

Shooting

Recognize that shooters are vulnerable when focusing on the goal and attempting to shoot.

They may not see the bodycheck coming

Recognizing an Injury

(NCAA, 2011, p54)

Recognizing an Injury

(NCAA, 2011, p55)

Sideline Procedures

• Rules of Thumb (ORCAS, 2011)

• When in doubt, pull them out (pull a player from a game or practice if concussion is suspected),

• Stand tall, make the call (it is the coach’s responsibility to keep players safe) and

• No play without OK (a player should not return to play until cleared by a healthcare provider).

Management Procedures

• Concussion Management Procedures:• No athlete should return to play or practice on the same

day of a concussion.• Any athlete suspected of having a concussion should be

evaluated by an appropriate health-care professional that day.

• Any athlete with a concussion should be medically cleared by an appropriate health-care professional prior to resuming participation in any practice or competition.

Management Procedures

• Concussion Management Procedures:• Recommend that parents request a baseline

retest if one is available at school• Require parents to provide written approval for

return to play after a concussion assessment • After medical clearance, follow a step-wise

protocol with provisions based upon return of any signs or symptoms.

Conclusion

• Lacrosse is a contact sport with concussion potential and youth players are at a greater risk to the effects of brain injury

• SLA has developed a Concussion Prevention and Management Policy based on NCAA, NFHS and US Lacrosse best practices

• This policy highlights the concussion risk in lacrosse and provides procedures to mitigate the potential for concussions and management process to limit player risk once a concussion is suspected

• Coaches are responsible for knowledge or and adherence to the policy and procedures

Conclusion

• Knowledge of types or play and proper body checking techniques can help prevent the occurrence of some concussion incidents

• Proper monitoring of play and sideline assessment procedures mitigate the severity or continued risk of brain injury

• Coaches are responsible for notification of parents and recommending medical clearance be obtained

• Use of impact sensors can mitigate concussion risk and procedures to monitor and remove players with indications is required

Closing

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References

American Academy of Pediatricians, (2001). AAP Policy Committee on Sports Medicine and Fitness and Committee on School Health 107 (6).

Caswell, S.V., Lincoln, A.E., Hepburn, L.M., Dunn, R.E., & Almquist, J.L. (nd). Identifying mechanisms of sports-related injuries through video

analysis: lacrosse. George Mason University: Medstar Health Research Institute, Baltimore, MD; Fairfax County Public Schools, Falls Church, VA.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2013). Injury Prevention and Control: Traumatic Brain Injury. Retrieved 16 February, 2013 at http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/headsup/online_training.html

Centers for Disease Control (CDC). (2007). Nonfatal traumatic brain injuries from sports and recreation activities 2001—2005. Morbidity and

Mortality Weekly Report 56 (29) ; 733-737.

References

Dick, R., Romani, W.A., Agel, J., Case, J.G., & Marshall, S.W. (2007). Descriptive epidemiology of collegiate men’s lacrosse injuries: National collegiate athletic association injury surveillance system, 1988-89 to through 2003-04. Journal of Athletic Training. 42(2):255-261.

Field, M., Collins, M.W., Lovell, M.R. and Maroon, J. (2003). Does age play a role in recovery from sports-related concussion? A comparison of high school and collegiate athletes. The Journal of Pediatrics 142, 546-553.

Hendricks, S., & Lambert, M. (2010). Tackling in Rugby: Coaching Strategies for Effective Technique and Injury Prevention. International Journal Of Sports Science & Coaching, 5(1), 117- 135.

NCAA. (2011). The NCAA Sports Medicine Handbook (22nd ed). The National Collegiate Athletic Association. Indianapolis, IN.

References

National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) . (2006). National standards for sport coaches: Quality coaches, quality sports (2nd ed). Reston, VA: NASPE

NASPE. (2012) Retrieved from: http://www.aahperd.org/naspe/about/mission.cfm

ORCAS. (2011). Brain 101 the concussion playbook: Coach training. Retrieved 14, February, 2013 at http://activecoach.orcasinc.com

Youth Sport Safety Alliance. (2011). Statistics on youth sport safety. Retrieved on 7 September, 2012 from http://www.youthsportssafetyalliance.org/docs/stats-

Brain Sentry

Brain Sentry Impact Sensor:• Some players may use the sensor which attaches to the back of

their helmet• If used follow the following protocol:• Check senor is operational before each game or practice• Monitor Sensor if Red light has activated remove from play and

conduct a sideline assessment• Inform parents of activation and that SLA protocol requires

removal form play• Further information at this system can be found at

www.brainsentry.com