Nation’s Leading Concussion Expert Addresses Chiropractors

 Uncategorized  No Responses »
Feb 172013
 

Dr. Kyle Prusso, the current Vice President of the Professional Football Chiropractic Society, wrote an article for Dynamic Chiropractic highlighting the events that took place at the 2012 PFCS seminar featuring:

  • Robert Cantu, MD
  • Kevin Morris, ATC
  • Dan McClure, DC
  • Jeff Lease, DC

The Professional Football Chiropractic Society (PFCS) recently hosted Robert Cantu, MD, neurosurgeon and consultant to the National Football League’s Head, Neck and Spine Committee, at the society’s 6th Annual Educational Symposium.
Dr. Cantu, one of the top experts in the field of concussion in sports, has been instrumental in the development and implementation of standard practices pertaining to the management of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).

Dr. Cantu presented to a room overflowing with more than 130 chiropractors, chiropractic students, and representatives from the NFL. His three-plus hours of presentation consisted of current research, standard practices for diagnosis and management, as well as answers to questions from the audience….

To read the rest of the article, pleas visit Dynamic Chiropractic.

 Posted by at 10:01 pm

Being In Indianapolis During The Scouting Combine

 Seminars  No Responses »
Feb 082012
 

Attendees Modeling Dr. Miller's Super Bowl Ring

Super Bowl XLVI came and went this past Sunday with the New York Giants defeating the New England Patriots in one of the closest contests in Super Bowl history, and with that, another NFL season is officially in the books. If you are like myself, your sights have already been turned to the upcoming season and what is in store for your home team. I happen to be from the Seattle area and the Seahawks are my home team. Our offseasons here in Seattle have been a blur with Pete Carroll and John Schneider almost completely turning over the roster in two short seasons. I have actually been following several mock draft websites like Walter Football for months now trying to figure out what my team will do in the upcoming draft and over the offseason, and I have done it for at least the past five years as well. It is now crunch time for the draft eligible players. It is time for them to show each team why they should be drafted. The top seniors have had a shot to show what they can do in the senior all-star games. For some, their hype is building. For others, their stock is falling. They now have only a few more weeks to prepare for the College Scouting combine that will take place in Indianapolis at the end of the month.

Attendees Trying On Dr. Conrad's Super Bowl Ring

Indianapolis is the center of the football world while the NFL holds it’s annual combine. While the coaching staffs of each team are on hand to evaluate the top players entering the draft, the various branches of the medical staffs are also present to hold their annual conferences. Professional Football Chiropractic has been holding their annual conference here for the past five years. It offers a unique set of circumstances where coaches, athletes, agents, medical doctors, chiropractors, and athletic trainers from all of the teams have all descended upon one town at the same time. With the Super Bowl being in Indianapolis this year and the future of Indianapolis’ football icon Peyton Manning being uncertain, this year the football frenzy is sure to top all previous years.

Jon Torine: Colts Strength and Conditioning Coach - Dean Kleinschmidt: Lions Head Athletic Trainer - Rick Burkholder: Eagles Head Athletic Trainer - taking questions from the audience

2012 will mark the 6th Annual Professional Football Chiropractic Seminar. I have been fortunate to attend the seminar four out of the five years that it has been held. The quality of the information and speakers that are presenting is always top notch, and this year may be even better than the rest. Dr. Cantu is a highly sought after speaker on one of the hottest topics in professional sports, concussions. Kevin Morris brings 20 years of athletic training experience to the table working with athletes at both the Olympic and collegiate levels. At the college and professional level, the athletic trainers work as the gatekeepers of the medical staff. Getting a look at the big picture of how the entire medical staff works together is something you will not get anywhere else. For those of you wondering where the chiropractors are, don’t worry. Dr. Dan McClure is back again to cover extremity adjusting. I have had the opportunity of sitting in on Dr. McClure’s sessions on numerous occasions and I am amazed by him every single time. Dr. Jeff Lease will also be on hand to cover an Introduction to Kinesio Taping Methods.

Zack Crockett

In addition to learning from these great speakers, you get a chance to be part of the whole football experience. You never know who is going to drop in at the seminar. In the past, there have been several impromptu appearances by current players (usually Colts that are still in town) who drop by to get treated by their chiropractor, combine participants, and other medical staff from the various teams. A few years back, Tony Dungy was on his way over to speak to the group until being called away at the last minute. This year Zack Crockett, a former NFL fullback and scout, is scheduled to address the group.

Combine Athlete JT Thomas Stopping By For An Adjustment

For football fans, attending the seminar is just the tip of the iceberg. Each morning you here the buzz going around the seminar about who saw who when they were out for dinner the previous night. The town is just full of football people. I could count at least 50 head coaches that I have just happened to run into over the four years that I have attended the seminar. My wife actually literally ran into then San Francisco 49ers Offensive Coordinator, Mike Martz, while he was being interviewed by Sirius radio. She was so caught up in the moment of getting to meet then Cowboys Head Coach, Wade Phillips, that she had to text message my father-in-law. With her eyes firmly fixed on her phone, she proceeded to walk obliviously into a circle of several reporters, cameras, microphones and one former Head Coach. You never know who you will run into, literally. Last year, the big story around the combine was Cam Newton. Was he cut out to be an NFL quarterback? It was widely thought before the combine that he would not be successful at the next level. Newton spent a large amount of time leading up to the combine working with quarterback guru George Whitfield Jr. Coming out of the combine, Newton’s performance was good enough to convince the Carolina Panthers to use the first selection in the 2011 draft on him. Newton would then go on to break several rookie records in his first season. On the plane ride home from Indianapolis, Cam’s quarterback guru was sitting in the seat right behind me. These are only a few of the football memories that I have brought back from the Professional Football Chiropractic seminars over the past few years. As a chiropractor and a football fan, I look forward to attending the PFC seminar each year. I get to learn from the best, be a part of football history each year, and I get continuing education credits as a bonus.

Concussions In The NFL

 concussion  No Responses »
Feb 052012
 

If you have followed the NFL at all in the last few years, you know that concussions have become a very big deal. If you play Fantasy Football, you know that a concussion to one of your players could be the kiss of death to your Fantasy Championship dreams. That player may still be able to run, jump, catch, or throw, but he will not be able to return to the field until he is cleared. Five years ago, that very same player might have been able to return to the very same game or practice in which he was injured. The NFL and other major sporting leagues and associations have begun to crack down on concussions in order to protect the players that are participating in these high impact type of sports. New information is coming out at an alarming rate that shows the impact that concussions have on those who sustain them. Below is a list of the steps that the NFL has taken to reduce the damage done to players who sustain concussions:

  • Prior to 2007, players that suffered concussions may have been allowed to return to action in the very same game in which the incident occurred.
  • In 2007, the NFL adopted it’s first set of guidelines on return-to-play criteria based on a medical conference held specifically to discuss concussions. These new guidelines would not allow players to return to a game or practice in which he lost consciousness and that a player must be completely asymptomatic and pass his neurological tests normally before returning to play. In addition, the NFL agreed to expand neurological testing for all players, particularly those who had suffered a concussion before. If a player suffered a concussion in the season, he would be required to undergo extra neuropsychological tests later in the year.
  • In August 2009, NFL executives and lawmakers joined at the House Judiciary Committee to discuss the effects of head injuries in the sport, at which they were criticized for not taking more action against concussions. A new, stricter set of guidelines followed that year, which said that a player could not return to a practice or game if he shows ANY of the symptoms of a concussion, not just a loss of consciousness. A player also now must be analyzed by an independent neurologist as well as his team physician after a concussion.
  • In the 2010 season, the NFL began to crack down on helmet-to-helmet hits in an attempt to reduce the amount of concussions suffered by players. The league issued large fines to players, particularly repeat offenders, and said suspensions would be considered for those who continued to commit illegal hits.
  • Following an incident where Browns QB Colt McCoy was allowed back in the game after suffering a concussion, the NFL instituted a policy that an independent trainer would observe the games and alert team training staffs to possible head injuries. The Browns had previously said that their training staff had been occupied with other injuries, and hadn’t been aware that McCoy suffered a hit to the head.

Dr. Robert Cantu

Dr. Robert Cantu

Dr. Robert Cantu

The NFL policies relating to concussions are advised by the NFL’s Head, Neck, & Spine Committee. Professional Football Chiropractic is excited to have the opportunity to feature Dr. Robert Cantu, Senior Advisor to the NFL’s Head, Neck, & Spine Committee, at the 6th Annual PFC chiropractic continuing education seminar held in Indianapolis on February 25-26th this year (2012). Dr. Cantu will be covering Concussion Management: Short and Long Term Consequences of Mismanaging A Concussion – Catastrophic and Long Term Outcomes After Traumatic Brain Injury.

While the chiropractors working with NFL and college level teams often have a full complement of medical professionals at each event, most chiropractors involved with lower level sports teams may be the only medical professional at an event. With concussions becoming such as major issue in sports at all levels, this is one lecture you cannot afford to miss as a sports chiropractor.

For those of you working with teams that have coaches who want to learn more about concussions, the CDC and USA Football have teamed up to create an informational PDF file on concussions. More information on concussions can be found at the Center For Disease Control’s concussion page including a quick link to concussion information for the physician and USA Football’s page on Concussion Awareness and Safety which includes videos and links relating to concussions.

NE Patriots and NY Giants: The Essential Role of Chiropractic Care to Super Bowl XLVI

 Press Release  2 Responses »
Feb 022012
 

PFC represented in Super Bowl XLVI
The Foundation For Chiropractic Progress released a press release yesterday highlighting the the role that chiropractic has played for the two teams that will be involved in Super Bowl XLVI:

CARMICHAEL, Calif. – Feb. 1, 2012 – As the New England Patriots and New York Giants prepare to play on the biggest stage of all for football fans – the XLVI Super Bowl, February 5, 2012, Indianapolis, Ind. — the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about the value of chiropractic care, points to the role of the team Doctors of Chiropractic (DCs) in optimizing functionality, endurance and overall conditioning. Dr. Michael Miller of the Patriots and Dr. Robert DeStefano of the Giants explain that chiropractic is fundamental to the consequences of jarring impacts, enhancing body mechanics and joint motion while improving structural balance vital to preventing and addressing many common injuries.

“Professional athletes rely greatly on the coordinated efforts of the entire healthcare team, comprised of athletic trainers, rehabilitation specialists, physical therapists, orthopedists and chiropractors,” says Dr. DeStefano. “With the exception of 24/7 availability, preparing for Super Bowl is no different than the regular season. As injuries present themselves, we work systematically to provide the athlete with the care needed. In the end, we hope for quick recovery and high-level performance.”

Dr. Miller, who notes that the Patriots have dedicated their season and championship wins to Myra Kraft, the late wife of the team’s owner Robert Kraft, adds, “Most of our players will get adjusted prior to games to adequately prepare their bodies for battle. Several times during the playoffs, incidents occurred that required chiropractic care and, subsequent to sideline treatment, players were able to return to action the following play. We expect to have the same efficiency going into and during the Super Bowl.”

Viewed by both teams as a valuable healthcare component, chiropractic care is commonly used to address neuromusculoskeletal strain injuries, including neck pain, low back pain, strains to the hamstring and quadriceps, and certain whiplash injuries. Additionally, it provides treatment for other extremity problems, such as temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ), carpal and tarsal tunnel misalignments, and shoulder, elbow, knee and ankle tribulations.

Being involved with the Patriots for over 30 years, Dr. Miller knows first-hand that the players appreciate the service he provides, and he is excited to enter another Super Bowl together, sharing, “As we get closer, I’m reminded of a mantra from head coach Bill Belichick who says, „Do your job. If done well, it will reap rewards.‟ I wish both teams health through this next game and may the best team WIN!”

To learn more about professional football and chiropractic, visit the Professional Football Chiropractic Society, an organization that encompasses chiropractors from all 32 NFL teams, including Dr. Miller and Dr. DeStefano, which provide the highest quality chiropractic to the elite athletes.