Evidence-Based Practice of Concussions Online CE Course-2nd Edition

Online Course

Course components are delivered online:

• 20 evidence-based practice articles from Sports Medicine Research
• Continuing education exam

Concussion resulting in mild traumatic brain injury is one of the most common injuries sustained in contact sports. Evidence-Based Practice of Concussions CE Course, Second Edition, consists of a collection of evidence-based articles focused on the assessment and analysis of concussions, a topic that has quickly gained momentum in sport and activity. In this continuing education course, editors Jeffrey B. Driban, PhD, ATC, and Stephen Thomas, PhD, ATC, cofounders of Sports Medicine Research (SportsMedRes.org), have compiled a review of the research on epidemiology, etiology, and assessment of concussions. The articles are followed by an exam containing 100 questions. Upon passing the exam, you may print out and submit a certificate for continuing education credits.

Evidence-Based Practice of Concussions CE Course, Second Edition, supports the initiative in the athletic training profession to integrate the best new research and evidence into clinical decision making with the goal of improving patient outcomes. Certified athletic trainers completing this course may earn continuing education units to apply toward the evidence-based practice category required to maintain their certification.

Learning Objectives
After completing this course, you will be able to do the following:

• Explain what factors are related to a delayed recovery after a concussion.
• Explain the consequences of a concussion that may linger after symptoms resolve, such as elevated risk of lower extremity injury and impaired driving.
• Be able to efficiently implement prevention programs that reduce the risk of head impacts and concussions in contact sports.
• Be able to efficiently implement a concussion assessment protocol and account for extraneous factors that may bias assessment results.
• Be able to discuss with patients their options for treating concussion symptoms.

Audience

A continuing education course for athletic trainers, coaches, physical therapists, physicians, and medical technicians.

Table of Contents

Article 1. Should the Focus Be on Limiting Player Contact Instead of Soccer Heading?
Article 2. If the Helmet Doesn’t Fit, You May Have to Sit (Out Longer With a Concussion)
Article 3. A Delay Today With Removal for Play May Lead to a Delay in Return to Play
Article 4. Save Your Brain Now So You Can Play Later
Article 5. Concussed Athletes Face High Odds of Lower Extremity Injuries After Return to Play
Article 6. DWC: Driving While Concussed
Article 7. The Diagnostic Value of a Concussion Assessment Tool and Its Individual Components
Article 8. A Good Night’s Sleep Could Go a Long Way With Neurocognitive Performance
Article 9. Not Catching Enough Z’s Could Worsen Concussion Symptoms
Article 10. ADHD Prescription Treatment Needs to Be Considered When Assessing and Treating Athletes for Concussion
Article 11. See All About It! New Set of Tests to Add to the Concussion Assessment Protocol
Article 12. Differences in Symptom Reporting Between Male and Female Athletes Before and After a Concussion
Article 13. Injury Prevention Programs May Work if Your Athletes Use Them Regularly
Article 14. Physical Activity Within 7 Days May Lead to Better Long-Term Outcomes After a Concussion
Article 15. No Strict Rest for the Weary or Concussed
Article 16. Attractive Treatment Option for Patients Suffering From mTBI-Related Headaches
Article 17. Therapist-Directed Cognitive Rehabilitation Improved Functional Cognitive Outcomes
Article 18. Comprehensive Services Improve Care for Adolescents With Persistent Postconcussive Symptoms
Article 19. Don’t Let Your Concussed Athletes Spin out of Control; PT Is Feasible!
Article 20. Helmetless Tackling Promotes Better Tackling Behaviors, Resulting in Fewer Head Impacts

About the Author

Jeffrey B. Driban, PhD, ATC, is an assistant professor in the division of rheumatology at Tufts University School of Medicine and a member of the special and scientific staff at Tufts Medical Center. The goal of his research is to explore novel biochemical and imaging markers to gain a better understanding of osteoarthritis pathophysiology and potential disease phenotypes.

Driban received his bachelor’s degree in athletic training from the University of Delaware. During his doctoral training at Temple University, he focused on several aspects of osteoarthritis, including early pathophysiology in animal models, biochemical markers in joint fluid, systematic reviews of risk factors for osteoarthritis, and surveys of medication use among patients with osteoarthritis. In 2010, he began a postdoctoral research fellowship in the division of rheumatology at Tufts Medical Center, where he continued his focus on osteoarthritis and learned new assessment strategies in magnetic resonance imaging.

Stephen Thomas, PhD, ATC, is an assistant professor at Temple University. Thomas received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in athletic training from Temple University. He then received his doctorate in biomechanics and movement science from the University of Delaware. Before working at Neumann University, Thomas had a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania in the department of orthopedic surgery and biomedical engineering, where he received a Ruth L. Kirschstein Research Grant from the National Institutes of Health. He has served on several national committees and is the chair of the research committee for the American Society of Shoulder and Elbow Therapists.

Thomas continues to be active in research, participating as a manuscript reviewer for several peer-reviewed journals. He is on the executive board for Athletic Training and Sports Health Care. He was an ad hoc grant reviewer for the Eastern Athletic Trainers’ Association (EATA) and is the cofounder of Sports Medicine Research (www.sportsmedres.org), a website dedicated to the summary of sports medicine research. Thomas has written numerous peer-reviewed publications and abstracts on the topics of shoulder adaptations resulting from overhead throwing and the basic science of rotator cuff injury and healing. He has also had several invited lectures on overhead throwing throughout the United States.