Concussions: Education, Testing and Management

Course Description:

Concussions....it's a scary and hot topic in the world of sports today.  The CDC estimates that there are 1.4 to 3.8 million concussions costing approximately $60 billion/year in the US.  With statistics that large, odds are favorable that you are treating patients with this type of injury.  Sports Related Concussions are an evolving injury where signs and symptoms may be delayed.  You may be asking yourself: How do I screen for a concussion on the field? How do I know when that patient is ready to return to play?     

This course will help you:

-Understand the statistics and pathophysiology of concussions
-Identify the evolving symptoms
-Perform on-field assessments
-Know when to return the patient back to their sport 

Methods of Instruction:

Online video course 

Course Instructor:

Mark Flinders, PT, ATC, SCS 

Target Audience:

Physical Therapists, Physical Therapist Assistants, Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapist Assistants and Athletic Trainers. 

Educational Level:

Intermediate 

Prerequisites:

None 

Course Goals and Objectives:

At the completion of this course, participants should be able to:

1. Identify the definition, statistics and consensus statements for concussions
2. Differentiate between common mechanisms of injury for a concussion
3. Recognize common concussion symptoms
4. Identify risk factors for Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy and 2nd Impact Syndrome
5. Recognize components of an On-Field Assessment
6. Identify and understand how to perform common tests: Glasgow Coma Scale, Neuro-Imaging, Standardized Assessment of Concussion, Cranial Nerve Testing, Balance Error Scoring System, Romberg Test, Impact Testing, Oculomotor Testing, and the King Devick Test
7. Differentiate between Vestibular Ocular-Motor Screening Tests
8. Identify Buffalo Concussion Treadmill Test red flags
9. Recognize NFL Concussion Policies
10. Differentiate between stages of Return to Play progression 

Criteria for Obtaining Continuing Education Credits:

A score of 70% or greater on the post-test