Coming to a Head
There is no doubt that concussions are a hot topic in the sporting world these days, from youth competitions all the way to the professional ranks. In fact, ADVANCE just devoted a cover story to the subject in our Sept. 5 issue. The APTA has also been focused on concussion prevention, treatment and legislation. On Sept. 13, the organization announced it has produced a podcast detailing its policy on concussion management. Nate Thomas, PT, DPT, MBA, associate director of APTA's federal government affairs, was quoted:
"While the momentum created by the enactment of new state laws marks a significant improvement in the recognition of this important public health issue, it also presents a reason for concern. Legislative and policy efforts at the state and local level on concussion management have been highly inconsistent, particularly in the guidelines for management and return-to-play decisions. Politically driven efforts to make the treatment of concussions an exclusive, discipline-specific practice can be detrimental to an athlete's access to qualified health care professionals and the quality of care necessary to address the complexity of concussion injuries."
What is your opinion about the APTA's stance on this issue? How about the measures taken by individual states, along with scholastic, collegiate and professional athletic organizations?