Dr. Jason Mihalik guests on ‘5 questions with CJSM’: concussions and apps

We’re already seeing an uptick in our concussion clinics now that the football (both ‘American Football’ and soccer) seasons have begun.  It promises to be a busy few months.

Dr. Mihalik and colleagues with their
pre-participation ‘sports drinks’

How fortunate my colleagues and I were, then, to have a special guest visit us a couple weeks ago:  Jason P. Mihalik, Assistant Professor in the Department of Exercise and Sport Science at the University of North Carolina and Co-Director of the Mathew Gfeller Sport-Related Traumatic Brain Injury Research Center.  

I first became aware of Dr. Mihalik from the work he has done regarding what is generally considered the most user-friendly layperson’s app for recognizing a concussion on the field of play.  The app, known as “Concussion Recognition and Response App,” can be downloaded to both iPhone and Android systems, has a version specifically designed for coaches and parents; it is designed to assist the layperson in recognizing when a concussion may have occurred.  Dr. Mihalik himself talks about the app in this YouTube video.

From Left to Right:
Drs. Mihalik, Pommering, and Patrick,
on ‘Pediacast’

Dr. Mihalik ripped through his 24 hours with us with little time to breathe as he dispensed his wisdom concerning sports-related concussions, one of the hottest topics in the world of clinical sports medicine.  The highlights included the taping of a podcast; a lecture to the research staff and faculty; and the requisite beers and lounge experience in an informal setting.

I had to breakaway to cover a FINA open-water swimming event.  In lieu of attending the lecture Dr. Mihalik gave at our hospital, I tracked him down for a quick Q & A session.

—————Five Questions for Dr. Mihalik————–

1) CJSM: What do you think accounts for the dramatic rise in incidence of sports related concussions over the last decade? is it just a matter of recognition bias, or is something more going on?

Dr. Mihalik:  Research has shown a steady increase in the incidence of concussion across many sports. There is always an issue with incidence rates since precisely identifying the denominator (exposure) is always tricky at best. Notwithstanding, I believe this rise can be attributed to the increased hypersensitivity of this injury. More people know about concussions, which I feel biases recognition in more recent publications that highlight increases in concussion rates. I don’t think we should sensationalize these findings to suggest that concussion is now a problem when, in the past, it may not have been. Concussion has always been there, but we are now educating parents, coaches, and athletes to recognize the signs & symptoms. Read more of this post