Wheeling, W.Va. -
Two Wheeling Hospital officials very familiar with sports-related concussions believe West Virginia legislators are moving in the right direction to address the injury among high school athletes.
Last week, the West Virginia Senate Education Committee advanced a bill calling for the immediate removal of an athlete from competition when a head injury is suspected, and for a licensed medical professional trained to diagnose and treat the athlete's condition. The athlete can return to practice and play only with written approval of the medical professional.
Two local state senators, Orphy Klempa, D-1st, and Senate President Jeffrey Kessler, D-2nd, are members of the committee sponsoring the bill. The measure must clear another committee before reaching the full Senate.
Both Dr. Derrick Eddy, of Wheeling Hospital's Sports Medicine Center, and Dr. John DeBlasis, director of Physical Therapy, have long advocated for student athletes with head injuries to be treated in a manner similar to that proposed in the bill.
"Some OVAC (Ohio Valley Athletic Conference) schools do a better job than others in treating concussions. In my opinion, all the schools have the information needed, but may or may not choose to follow the recommendations. This is not the type of injury where any coach should be deciding whether a player should return to participation in a sport," said DeBlasis.
"It's also for school administrators, coaches and parents to look beyond the sport and focus on how untreated or improperly treated head injuries can adversely affect these athletes well into adulthood."
Wheeling Hospital's Physical Therapy Department has been testing and treating concussions for more than 10 years. That service was enhanced nearly three years ago with the arrival of Eddy, a sports medicine specialist, and the creation of the hospital's Sports Medicine Center.
"I'm pleased the Senate committee is serious about this issue. I'm treating more and more concussions each year and they're not just from football, but also from basketball, wrestling, soccer, cheerleading and other sports. Thankfully, the word is spreading about head injuries and that's a good thing. Athletes are getting treated quicker and more effectively," Eddy said.
"What people often don't see are the effects of concussions off the playing field, such as difficulty concentrating, which affects learning, and the presence of headaches that sometimes can last a year or more."
Eddy's experience includes being credentialed by ImPACT, a system developed by Ohio Valley native Dr. Joseph Maroon, now of Pittsburgh. ImPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) is used by the National Football League and National Hockey League.
Wheeling Hospital was one of the first health care facilities to use ImPACT and each year administers the system for area high schools, primarily with football players. Players receive baseline testing prior to participating in their sports. If a concussion occurs, the data can be compared to the individual's pre-injury performance. The combination of the physician evaluation and cognitive testing are used in determining return to participation in sport.
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