“You get kicked in the head a lot, and you get balls whipped at your head.” This is how Jonathan Coutts-Zawadski, the men’s waterpolo goaltender, describes his sport. “I’ve had seven concussions.”
With hockey and waterpolo season in full swing, and football season ending, the intense physical competition on campus brings both excitement, and the possibility of injury for varsity athletes. Concussion head injuries have the potential to sideline athletes for weeks and result in far reaching symptoms that can persist for an indeterminate length of time.
Established in 1999, the U of T and Toronto Rehabilitation Institute concussion program conducts research, clinical care, and educational initiatives to prevent, reduce, and manage mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI). Good news for Zawadski and company.
The program is funding in part by the Dr. Tom Carney Fund, named in honour of the former amateur boxer and professor. Dr. Carney is currently suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, believed to be the result of concussions suffered as a boxer. Dr. Lynda Mainwaring, one of Carney’s former students, is an associate professor and a registered psychologist involved in the concussion program.
“Concussions may lead to a number of symptoms including headaches, dizziness, blurred vision, nausea, ringing in the ears, fatigue, and irritability,” said Mainwaring. Severe injuries may also result in loss of coordination and balance or cognitive failure, both serious detriments to the athlete.
Often, athletes return to their sport before allowing a concussion to properly heal. “I have a concussion sometimes, and I don’t tell anybody,” reveals Zawadski. According to Mainwaring, this is not a good idea. “A medical doctor who has put the athlete through a physical exertion test must clear the athlete to return to playing condition,” she said.
Usual treatment for athlete concussions includes rest and time away from sport. Proper rehabilitation is essential to preventing repeated injury. “Though research has not equivocally shown that repeated concussions lead to more severe symptoms, we do know that after suffering a concussion, an athlete is at increased risk for subsequent injury” said Mainwaring.
With these considerations in hand, the U of T/TRI group has developed a comprehensive program for MTBI management. This program offers the advantage of coupling research and clinical practice to examine concussion injuries from a clinical perspective and apply research based treatment protocols and educational initiatives. The program at U of T is one of only three of its kind in the country.
“We have great student athletes at the U of T,” said Mainwaring, “and the health and safety of these young scholars-our future leaders-is of the utmost importance.”
