Hey, Annie here, Ringette Ontario’s Operations Coordinator! Today’s post is going to touch on Concussion Safety, and what you can do in the event that you receive a concussion or suspect that someone you know has one.

To start, what is a concussion? A concussion is a type of brain injury that can be caused by any blow to the head, face or neck, or caused by a blow to the body which in turn can cause jarring of the head (i.e. being checked into the boards at a Ringette game).

First and foremost, if you think you have a concussion, or think one of your athlete’s has a concussion, STOP playing right away! Get yourself to the bench to be assessed by a staff member of your team. This is extremely important in making sure you and your athletes get proper care, and avoid additional injuries.

Taking your athlete through an assessment may seem like a daunting process, especially if you’re not experienced in the medical field. This is why we have the CRT-5 (Concussion Recognition Tool) to help everyone be more comfortable with recognizing the signs and symptoms of a concussion. Always keep in mind that noticing signs and symptoms of a concussion may not happen immediately. Take my story for example:

November, 2014, I’m driving in the express lane of the 401 with my mom when I eventually came to a stand still in traffic. I looked in my rear-view mirror and noticed a car behind with no signs of slowing down. We were hit from behind, so my car jerked forward, sending a reciprocal reaction for us to move back in the seats, which resulted in the back of my head hitting my head-rest. Thankfully my Honda had soft head-rests, so a concussion was the furthest thing from my mind, I just wanted to make sure my mom was okay and that we got to a hospital.

The nurses and doctors at the hospital did a few assessments and examinations, and although I had severe neck and shoulder pain, as well as a headache, I was told it was simply whiplash, and not to worry. Shortly after leaving the hospital, I called my boss to let him know what happened and that I would be a little late to my shift. A few hours into my shift, I had a strong sense of vertigo, and an even stronger headache where I could feel the pain coming from my eyes. I sat down for a couple minutes, had an Advil, and started to work again. About 10 minutes later, I had this undeniable nausea, and I knew I was going to be sick. It was only after this that I knew I had more than just whiplash… I had a concussion. Needless to say, I ended my shift very early that day and went to bed.

Concussions are a type of brain injury that DO NOT show up on a regular scan (ex. MRI, CT, etc.). It is extremely important that you ensure the safety of the athletes by following the CRT-5, as well as Ringette Ontario’s Management Guidelines. Make sure that the athlete is not left alone until a parent or guardian is there, and they should be seen by a doctor or medical professional that same day. Only a medical professional can officially diagnose a concussion. This is the best way to ensure an informed diagnosis, and plan of attack to get you back in the game!

For more information on concussions, sport injuries and to access resources, please visit https://ringetteontario.com/concussion-awareness/.