Keynote 1 | Dr David Hughes | Chief Medical Officer | Australian Institute of Sport . "Sport-related concussion" (30 mins)
| Thursday, October 19, 2017 |
| 9:20 AM - 9:50 AM |
Overview
Sport-related concussion (SRC) is a growing health concern in Australia. SRC is a traumatic brain injury induced by biomechanical forces. It may be caused by direct blow to the head, face, neck or elsewhere in the body, with an impulsive force transmitted to the head. SRC typically causes transient impairment of neurological function that resolves without intervention. It affects individuals at all levels of sport from the recreational athlete to the full-time professional. Concerns about the incidence of SRC and possible long-term health ramifications have led to an increased focus on safe and appropriate diagnosis and management. Parents, coaches, athletes, medical practitioners and others involved in sport are seeking information regarding the best management of SRC. Individuals suffering SRC commonly present with a broad range of non-specific symptoms such as nausea, feeling slowed down, feeling like “in a fog”, difficulty concentrating, irritability etc.
Diagnosing SRC can be difficult for the clinician, even those experienced in contact or collision sports. While there is a significant amount of time, energy and money being directed towards research into SRC, there remains no purely objective test which will allow a definitive diagnosis. The current international standard tool for the diagnosis of SRC is the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT 5). This is a standardised test that assesses brain function across several domains including symptom score, orientation, immediate memory, concentration, neurological exam, balance and delayed recall. Management of SRC involves removal from the sporting environment, application of appropriate first-aid protocols including protection of the cervical spine, and assessment by a medical practitioner. Once the diagnosis of SRC is made, the individual should rest in the acute phase before following a graduated return to cognitive and physical activities.
The long-term effects of SRC are the subject of vigorous debate and will be discussed in this presentation.
Speaker
Dr David Hughes
Australian Institute Of Sport
Keynote 1 : "Sport-related concussion"
Biography
Dr David Hughes is a Sport and Exercise Medicine Physician with over 20 years of involvement working in community and high performance sport. Dr Hughes has provided medical services to a range of teams including the ACT Brumbies Super Rugby, Australian Wallabies, Canberra Raiders Rugby League, Manchester City FC, Fulham FC and the Australian Opals Women's Basketball team. He attended the 2012 London Olympics as team physician for the Opals.
Dr Hughes has held a number of leadership roles in Australian sports medicine. He served on the Board of the Australasian College of Sport & Exercise Physicians (ACSEP) for over eight years, including two years as President. He was a member of the Committee of Presidents of Medical Colleges (CPMC). Dr Hughes is currently the Chief Medical Officer at the Australian Institute of Sport. He was Medical Director of the Australian Olympic Team for the Rio 2016 Olympics.
Dr Hughes has an interest in improving governance and integrity in sport. He is a member of the Australian Sports Integrity Network. He is the independent integrity officer for the Western Bulldogs AFL team.
Since 2013, Dr Hughes has been a member of the Scientific Committee of the Collaborative Research Network for Advancing Exercise & Sports Science (CRN-AESS), based at Bond University. Current research activities include investigation of genetic predisposition to bone and tendon injuries. Recent publications include the AIS-AMA Concussion in Sport Position Statement, a systematic review of biomedical risk factors of Achilles tendinopathy in physically active people and the AIS Position Statement on the Ethics of Genetic Testing & Research in Sport.
