Concussion symposium stresses need for training
The Second Annual Concussion Symposium, featuring medical experts and professional athletes including former Super Bowl players, stressed the need for training coaches and athletic directors to recognize the symptoms of concussion, especially at nonprofessional sports events where no team doctor is present.
The April 6 symposium, held at Dover Downs, was created and hosted by Dr. Kirill Alekseyev, medical director of the recently opened Post Acute Medical Rehabilitation Hospital of Dover. The focus of the free, five-hour event was on multiple aspects of concussions at the professional, college and high school levels of competition. The event was open to the public with coaches and trainers participating in a post-presentation question-and-answer discussion.
Professional athletes from multiple sports described the pressure to perform when injured that sometimes extends down to nonprofessional sports where coaches may not recognize the symptoms of concussion. Presenting physicians used slides to explain brain physiology and videos to show the varying effects of violent impact from a wide variety of sources. The underlying premise was that every concussion is a form of brain injury, whether temporary or permanent.
"PAM specializes in all types of brain injuries, CVAs (strokes), TBIs as well as cancer-related injuries, and no injury is too big or too small. We use an individualized approach to every patient because no two patients are alike," said Alekseyev.
The recently opened rehabilitation hospital is at 1240 McKee Road, Dover. For more information, go to www.PostAcuteMedical.com or call 302-382-0867.
