[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2017\/06\/melissa-concussion-recovery\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2017\/06\/melissa-concussion-recovery\/","headline":"Melissa’s Recovery from Concussion","name":"Melissa’s Recovery from Concussion","description":"According to research by the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program, one in ten high school athletes in the United States who play contact sports will suffer a concussion each year they play.\r\n\r\n","datePublished":"2017-06-29","dateModified":"2018-08-29","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/sports-medicine-regions","name":"Sports Medicine","url":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/sports-medicine-regions","sameAs":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/sports-medicine\/","parentOrganization":"UPMC"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"UPMC HealthBeat","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Soccer.jpg","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Soccer.jpg","height":527,"width":791},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2017\/06\/melissa-concussion-recovery\/","video":{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"VideoObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=N2FruQxxldc#VideoObject","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=N2FruQxxldc","name":"What is a Concussion? | UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program","description":"Learn more about the basics of concussions, including where the word comes from, common misconceptions, and what to do if you think someone might have a concussion.\nLearn more: https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/sports-medicine\/services\/concussion.","thumbnailUrl":["https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/N2FruQxxldc\/default.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/N2FruQxxldc\/mqdefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/N2FruQxxldc\/hqdefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/N2FruQxxldc\/sddefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/N2FruQxxldc\/maxresdefault.jpg"],"uploadDate":"2016-12-22T14:25:56+00:00","duration":"PT2M18S","embedUrl":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/N2FruQxxldc","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCieWcGaXf-a2z0ADF-OoCqQ#Organization","url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCieWcGaXf-a2z0ADF-OoCqQ","name":"UPMC","description":"As one of the leading nonprofit health systems in the United States, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) develops and delivers Life Changing Medicine.  We've helped thousands of patients and their families by harnessing the power of technology, translating science into cures, and accelerating the pace of innovation worldwide.  \n\nWe're committed to serving our community with outstanding patient care while fulfilling our mission to shape tomorrow's health system through clinical and technological innovation, research, and education. \n\nBrowse our playlists to find the latest medical information, tips and testimonials.  For more information, visit our website, UPMC.com.\n\n\nEvery patient's treatment experience is unique. An individual's treatment outcome will depend on his or her personal circumstances, including age, general health, lifestyle, type and severity of disease, and other factors.","logo":{"url":"https:\/\/yt3.ggpht.com\/7aQEPcv1qR-8qw_BF5gqfjeSBQFicDFsocVT0ZLd3oh2eFhxOtKnboORaZtK6_9ih8C-CV0Kdg=s800-c-k-c0x00ffffff-no-rj","width":800,"height":800,"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=N2FruQxxldc#VideoObject_publisher_logo_ImageObject"}},"potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=N2FruQxxldc#VideoObject_potentialAction","target":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=N2FruQxxldc&t={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"},"interactionStatistic":[[{"@type":"InteractionCounter","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=N2FruQxxldc#VideoObject_interactionStatistic_WatchAction","interactionType":{"@type":"WatchAction"},"userInteractionCount":13475}],{"@type":"InteractionCounter","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=N2FruQxxldc#VideoObject_interactionStatistic_LikeAction","interactionType":{"@type":"LikeAction"},"userInteractionCount":37}]},"about":["Sports Medicine"],"wordCount":651,"keywords":["concussion","concussion evaluation","concussion recovery","soccer"],"articleBody":"According to research by the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program, one in ten high school athletes in the United States who play contact sports will suffer a concussion each year they play.One of those athletes is Melissa, a high school soccer player from Cleveland, Ohio. She has sustained four sports-related concussions in her career, one of which caused her to have year-long headaches.When she later experienced sharp neck pain, dizziness, and headaches following a hit during a fall soccer game, Melissa\u2019s family was eager to have her evaluated.\u201cConcussion is a serious medical issue that requires prompt clinical attention by a health professional trained in concussions,\u201d said Micky Collins, PhD, clinical and executive director of the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.\u201cAfter sustaining a possible concussion, athletes should immediately be removed from play.\u201cOnce an injury has occurred, the brain is in an extremely vulnerable state and more susceptible to additional injury.\u201dMelissa was first assessed by her team\u2019s athletic trainer, who encouraged her to follow up with her doctor if her concussion\u00a0symptoms persisted. She began seeing a local neurologist, and started taking medication for headaches, but saw little improvement.Her academics also suffered. In school, Melissa reported having:Loss of focus and concentrationTrouble completing homework, as it felt harder and took longer to completeDifficulty with test taking\u201cGetting a concussion can affect more than just a person\u2019s status onto the team roster or ability to play a sport or work out,\u201d \u00a0Dr. Collins said. \u201cOne of the hardest parts about having a concussion is dealing with the toll it takes on a student\u2019s academic life.\u201dFrustrated with a lack of progress and the emergence of these new symptoms, Melissa\u2019s mother started looking online for options. She found ReThinkConcussions.com and called the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program to schedule an appointment.Founded in 2000, the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program sees more than 17,000 patients annually, produces more published research than any program that followed and continues to set the standards of care. The program is internationally renowned for pioneering ImPACT\u00ae, a tool that establishes a benchmark for a patient\u2019s normally functioning brain activities.To learn more about the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program, visit ReThinkConcussions.com or call 412-432-3681.\u201cWe perform a thorough assessment of concussion, which includes neurocognitive evaluation with ImPACT\u00ae, a detailed clinical interview that discusses symptoms, and an evaluation, or screening, of vestibular and ocular-motor functioning,\u201d Dr. Collins said.Melissa and her family traveled to Pittsburgh, where she met with Dr. Collins and his team for a comprehensive clinical evaluation, including taking the ImPACT\u00ae test. From there, the clinical team developed an individualized treatment plan for her, which included vestibular and exertion therapy, as well as accommodations in school.\u201cBecause no two concussions are alike, there\u2019s no simple timetable for recovery,\u201d Dr. Collins said. \u201cSome athletes recover in days, others require weeks or months.\u201cWe\u2019ve identified six\u00a0unique clinical trajectories for concussion. Every trajectory requires specific treatment.\u201dDr. Collins leads a program consisting of more than 30 faculty and staff members, all of whom are devoted entirely to assessing, treating, rehabilitating, and researching concussion. They include:NeuropsychologistsPrimary care sports medicine physiciansNeurosurgeonsPhysical medicine and rehabilitation physiciansNeurovestibular and exertional physical therapistsCognitive rehabilitation specialistsCertified athletic trainersThe concussion program team continually re-examines patients to evaluate their progress and promote successful rehabilitation.For Melissa, once she began her vestibular and exertion therapy exercises twice a day, she finally felt like she had the tools she needed to get better. A month after her initial appointment with Dr. Collins and his team, she was finally headache-free and cleared to return to soccer.\u201cI came [to UPMC] thinking I would be told I could never play soccer again, but after completing my exercise program, I was preparing for spring soccer,\u201d Melissa said."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2017","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2017\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"06","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2017\/\/06\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Melissa’s Recovery from Concussion","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2017\/06\/melissa-concussion-recovery\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]