Sports Medicine - Concussions

Colorado State Concussion Regulations

Facts about Senate Bill 40 – The Jake Snakenberg Youth Concussion Act –

This act shall take effect January 1, 2012

The Concussion Recognition Education Course required by the new law mandates all coaches of organized youth sports activities to take a course that includes the following:

• Information on how to recognize the signs and symptoms of a concussion.
• The necessity of obtaining proper medical attention for a person suspected of having a concussion; and
• Information on the nature and risk of concussion, including the danger of continuing to play after sustaining a concussion and the proper method of allowing a youth athlete who has sustained a concussion to return to athletic activity.
  

If a coach who is required to complete a concussion recognition education course suspects that a youth athlete has sustained a concussion following an observed or suspected blow to the head or body in a game, competition, or practice, the coach shall immediately remove the athlete from a game, competition, or practice.
If a youth athlete is removed from play, and the signs and symptoms cannot be readily explained by a condition other than concussion, the coach must notify the athlete’s parent or legal guardian and shall not permit the youth athlete to return to play or participate in any supervised team activities involving physical exertion, including games, competitions, or practices, until he or she is evaluated by a health care provider*.  
*The health care must be a doctor of medicine (MD), doctor of osteopathy (DO), licensed nurse practitioner, licensed physician assistant, or licensed doctor of psychology with training in neuropsychology or concussion evaluation and management.  The health care provider evaluating the individual may be a volunteer.  
After a concussed athlete has been evaluated and received clearance to return to play from a health care provider, an organization or association of which a school or district is a member, a private or public school, a private club, a public recreation facility, or and athletic league may allow a registered athletic trainer with specific knowledge of the athlete’s condition to manage the athlete’s graduated return to play.
 
FREE Online Concussion Course Recommendations:
 

CDC Video Concussion Training Course for Coaches

Sports Safety International – ConcussionWise Course for Coaches

Read about a former MLS player’s struggles with concussions

On November 3, New England Revolution goal-scorer Taylor Twellman retired after failing to recover from lingering concussion symptoms following a June 30, 2008 collision with LA Galaxy goalkeeper Steve Cronin. It was his seventh concussion. Twellman scored 100 goals in a 174 games (101 total) and was the youngest player to hit that mark. He was MLS MVP in 2005, a two-time MLS Golden Boot winner, a five-time All-Star, an All-Star MVP, a two-time Best XI, a five-time MLS Player of the Week, a two-time MLS Goal of the Week, MLS Player of the Month, and winner of many New England Revolution team honors, including three-time MVP and five-time Golden Boot.