In an interview, RJ discusses his potential CTE and his positive experience as a participant in a University of Utah photobiomodulation (light therapy) study. RJ played high school and college football, experiencing repetitive head impacts and multiple concussions.

In this interview, Allison Grossberg talks about her current study about long-Covid and its connection to brain injury. She discusses her personal history, the background of the study, a potential treatment option, the usefulness of biomarkers in long-Covid diagnosis and other applications, and the connections between long-Covid and concussions.

Concussion Alliance has been named a Semifinalist in the BECU People Helping People Awards for the second year in a row. Boeing Employees’ Credit Union (BECU) describes this awards program as “an annual celebration of exceptional work within the communities we serve. We honor members and nonprofits that drive positive changes through service to others.”

Cycling is the sport responsible for the highest number of concussion-related visits to emergency departments in the U.S. Unfortunately, there is not a lot of follow-through in terms of education about the injury and treatment options for cyclists. British 31-year-old professional cyclist Lizzy Banks can attest to the hardship of recovering from concussions in the biking community.

A study found that college athletes who sustained non-sports-related concussions reported their injury at lower rates, had higher symptom severity, and had longer-lasting symptoms than those who has sports-related concussions.

A study found that former college football players are at “increased risk for degenerative brain diseases,” and reported cognitive impairment diagnoses, recurrent headaches, and cardiovascular disease at higher rates than an age-matched control group.

A New York Times article discusses "Medical Gaslighting”, a term used to describe situations where patients are frustrated after “dismissive experiences with medical professionals.” The author notes a 2020 study finding that women receive less medical care following traumatic brain injury (TBI).

A study found that post-concussion neck symptoms were prevalent in patients experiencing acute and chronic symptoms following a concussion. Graded cervical manual therapy was found to “reduce time to symptom resolution and medical clearance.”

A study found a significant reduction in symptom relapse rates related to premature Return to Learn but not for Return to Play, indicating the need for more emphasis on implementing Return to Learn protocol.

A study found that “veterans with chronic headache were very interested in combining alternatives, such as acupuncture, massage, yoga or tai chi, with mainstream medicine and that they were encouraged by the fact that alternatives exist to simply taking additional pharmaceuticals for pain.”

Researchers found changes in menstrual patterns 3-4 months post-injury in 1 out of 8 adolescent patients. The authors also found higher symptom severity for those who sustained a concussion after ovulation and before menstruation.

A study found that “youth who experienced a concussion were more likely to develop mental health issues, self-harm, or psychiatric hospitalization than peers who had an orthopedic injury.” We include information and tips for parents.

A study found that patients’ expectations of their recovery duration had a larger impact on their mental health than their actual reported symptoms, number of concussions, or history of mental health concerns.

Some clinics in the Defense Intrepid Network for TBI and Brain health, a system of 13 clinics for TBIs, have integrated nutrition plans into treatment programs for “active duty service members diagnosed with mild-to-moderate TBI and associated health conditions.”

In a study published in the Journal of Neurotrauma, researchers aimed to “establish whether vestibular dysfunction … is of central, peripheral, or combined origin.” They found that vestibular dysfunction is associated with peripheral vestibular system injury.

A revelatory article from Melissa Davey, Stephanie Convery, and Emma Kemp of The Guardian claims that the AFL (Australian Football League) sabotaged its own concussion research.

The scoping review concluded that undergraduate medical students in North America are not receiving adequate concussion education.

Suggestions for choosing a light therapy device based on our communication with leading researchers and clinicians in the field and our understanding of current research.

The New York State Workers’ Compensation Board has created new guidelines for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). While some areas could be updated to reflect a more current and nuanced understanding of brain injury, the guidelines include all best-practice treatment modalities and emphasize the case-by-case, highly patient-specific nature of the injury.

The use of helmets in women’s lacrosse continues to be a topic of significant debate, as helmets are not mandatory in women’s lacrosse but are required in men’s lacrosse. A 2015 study found that women’s lacrosse had the second-highest rate of concussions among a variety of high school and college sports.