Concussion management in amateur sports getting a boost
VICKI HALL
CALGARY — It remains a reality that the average Canadian suffering a concussion at the rink or on the football field will not receive the same level of treatment as hockey legend Sidney Crosby or retired CFL star Jon Cornish.
But, the federal government quietly took a major step last week in improving care for average folks by announcing a $1.4-million investment to develop national guidelines for the management of concussions in amateur sport.
Concussion protocols in Canada vary wildly from province to province and city to city. Doctors say that when it comes to safety, a formal concussion strategy is every bit as important as a helmet.
Studies show concussions are three to six times more likely to be detected in an environment with a protocol in place. And the concussions that cause the most damage tend to follow the ones that go undetected when the brain is not given the proper time to heal and rest.
“In Canada, greater awareness is needed about concussions and their related potential dangers, particularly among those involved in sports and recreation,” Health Minister Jane Philpott said in a written statement. “With comprehensive national concussion guidelines and protocols, children and their parents, athletes, coaches and health care professionals will have the information they need to prevent concussions and manage them when they occur.”
According to the federal government, 64 per cent of emergency visits among 10 to 18 year olds in Canada are related to participation in sports, physical activity and recreation. Between 2004 and 2014, the number of reported head injuries (relative to other injuries) among children playing sports increased by more than 40 per cent.
“There are too many stories of Canadians who have suffered head trauma as a result of their participation in sport or recreation,” Sport Minister Carla Qualtrough said in the release. “Canadians need access to the tools and knowledge necessary to keep participation in sport and recreation safe.”
The injury-prevention charity Parachute will lead the development of harmonized concussion protocols through an advisory committee that boasts some of Canada’s top experts in the field.
The guidelines will be drawn from the latest research set to be tabled this week at the fifth International Consensus Conference on Concussion taking place in Berlin.
Toronto’s only newcomer with NBA experience, Jared Sullinger, left Boston to a sign a one-year deal with the Raptors. He was expected to start in the front court alongside Jonas Valanciunas until suffering a foot injury that required surgery. He could miss as much as a quarter of the season. Coach Dwane Casey had envisioned Sullinger as a rebounding asset who can also spread the floor and connect from long range. “I trust his three-point shooting,” Casey said. “We want him to take it, we encourage him to take it.”
Two years after being drafted, Brazilian prospect Bruno Caboclo isn’t close to making regular contributions to the Raptors. Caboclo spent the bulk of last season with Toronto’s D-League team, averaging 14.7 points and 6.5 rebounds in 37 games. Famously described by commentator Fran Franschilla as being “two years away from being two years away” when he was drafted in 2014, Caboclo figures to be back in the D-League this season, honing his game with help from new coach Jerry Stackhouse.
With a roster that already featured two Brazilians (Caboclo and Lucas Nogueira), a Lithuanian (Valanciunas), and a Canadian (Cory Joseph), the Raptors added more international assets on draft night. Toronto’s two first round picks were seven-foot centre Jakob Poeltl, the first Austrian in NBA history, and forward Pascal Siakam, one of three NBA players from Cameroon.
Health Minister Jane Philpott
Last season was a whirlwind for the Raptors. Besides their deep playoff run, they launched a D-League team, moved into a new practice facility, travelled to London for a January game against Orlando, and hosted the All-Star game for the first time in February. “Incredible year, it was go, go, go, go, go,” said Masai Ujiri, the team’s president. “You name it, we did it. It’s tough on our players and everybody.” Having a little less on the agenda this season could be a blessing for Toronto.