43. The Importance of Early Concussion Evaluation For Athlete Recovery with Dr. Brandon Eck, D.O. and PT, AT Michael Keenan [PART 1] - a podcast by Mike Quintans, PT, DPT, OCS, TPI

Today, we will be discussing everything concussions with two of the best in the business: Vestibular certified Physical Therapist and Athletic Trainer - Mike Keenan as well as Dr. Brandon Eck. Mike was on the podcast before to discuss concussions as was Dr. Eck in which we discussed his experience and roles in sports medicine specifically endurance athletes and the services he provides.

Dr. Brandon Eck

Dr. Brandon Eck is a sports medicine physician that earned his undergraduate degree at Villanova University where he ran track and field for the Wildcats. He then earned his medical degree at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed his residency in family medicine. He also completed a sports medicine fellowship in Blacksburg, VA in which he served as a team physician to Virginia Tech and Radford University. Dr. Eck has extensive experience in treating athletes of many disciplines and is dedicated to the treatment of both athletes and non-athletes with orthopedic injuries, including sports injuries, overuse injuries, fracture care and concussions. He is the Team Physician for U.S. Ski and Snowboard

Michael Keenan

Michael Keenan is a dual credentialed Physical Therapist and Athletic Trainer, Mike has been working in Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation since 2008. During this time, Mike has worked with patients of all ages and physical abilities from pediatrics to professional sports while with the Pittsburgh Pirates Baseball Organization. He specializes in vestibular and concussion-based treatment. I have had the pleasure of working with Mike Keenan over the past several years. I can say with the utmost confidence that he is the best I’ve seen at treating concussions – whether the patient was in an automobile accident, work-related accident, or as a result of an athletic trauma or injury.

3:30: What is a concussion? 

4:40 What is the difference between a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and a concussion?

5:15 what the most important thing Dr. Eck and Keenan have learned about concussions since their fellowships and training.

6:00 Keenan is in the unique position of seeing concussions at the beginning and the end. 

7:35 How are concussions diagnosed and how have these practices evolved?

9:30 What does the Sideline concussion assessment tool - SCAT 5 test consist of?

16:00 What does concussion diagnosis look like in the clinical setting after the initial evaluation on the field?

19:45 How does a physician dictate what the appropriate next steps are?

23:00 If something like the Impact test is available from the school or sports team is available it will be taken into consideration.

24:30 Getting a psychological evaluation and treatment is especially important for student-athletes to determine care protocol and school accommodations.

26:00 The importance of having a good rapport between the physician, the physical therapist, and the patient.

28:35 How often are clinicians seeing a patient within a week of the initial injury?

30:30 Dr.Eck shares a study from the Journal of Neurosurgery in Pediatrics about the association of time to clinic visit with  prolonged recovery in Pediatric patients with concussions.

33:30 Average Symptom Severity and Related Predictors of Prolonged Recovery in Pediatric Patients with a concussion (2020) found that symptom severity along with delayed evaluation related to prediction of prolonged recovery.

39:30 What is symptom grading and how does Keenan use as a flag system with patients?

40:20 Dispelling the old myth that someone with a concussion should be told to rest completely.

Stay tuned for Part 2 next Tuesday

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