Newswise — ROLLING MEADOWS, ILL. – With tens of thousands of young athletes returning to the field of play for sports activities this fall, the leading practitioners of neurosurgical care have created a PowerPoint presentation titled “Concussion and Sports: Useful prevention and treatment information for your community from America’s neurosurgeons” to help prepare and educate the public on this critical issue.
Developed by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS); the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS); the AANS/CNS Section on Neurotrauma & Critical Care; the ThinkFirst National Injury Prevention Foundation; and the Council of State Neurological Societies, this informative slideshow contains beneficial, present-day information for neurosurgical practitioners. AANS members and neurosurgeons can use this information as part of a program to educate coaches, school and park districts, and other organizations seeking more information on how to reduce the likelihood of concussions, as well as steps to take for those being treated for a concussion.
“On behalf of the more than 8,000 members of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, I am pleased to announce the release of this slide set that contains valuable, up-to-date information designed to help practitioners educate the public on the prevention and treatment of concussion in sports,” said AANS president Paul C. McCormick, MD, MPH, FAANS, FACS. “These potentially devastating injuries not only affect professional athletes but may involve amateur athletes, at virtually any age, and regardless of gender or sport. As neurosurgeons we are committed to the health and function of the nervous system, including reducing the effect of traumatic injuries in all members of our society. We not only treat patients with traumatic injuries to the nervous system, but are actively involved in programs and policies intended to prevent and reduce the effect of such injuries.”
AANS Board member and Public Relations Committee Chair Gail Rosseau, MD, FAANS, noted the program also can help AANS members position their practice/hospital as an authority on neurologically-related issues within their community. “This is an opportunity for our members to speak out on a timely and important issue, allows them to present their practice or hospital as vital component of neurological care, and gives them an easy-to-use presentation they can tailor to their respective audience.”
ThinkFirst Chair Mark R. Proctor, MD, FAANS, added that the importance of educating individuals on how to prevent concussions, as well as proper diagnosis and treatment when they occur, are critical to keeping participants safe. “When it comes to concussions, they can be hard to avoid in certain high-risk sports, but education about the condition can prevent the serious complications from unrecognized concussions” said Dr. Proctor. “We have to make every attempt to share this information with others, explain the importance of playing safe to minimize these injuries, and discuss the steps involved for proper treatment when a concussion occurs.”
Individuals seeking a nearby board-certified neurosurgeon who could possibly conduct an educational presentation on concussion prevention/treatment can do so by visiting the home page of the AANS website at www.aans.org and clicking on the “Find a Board-Certified Neurosurgeon” link. To discover more information on a wide variety of neurological conditions and diseases, as well as prevalence/incidence statistics, risk factors, symptoms, diagnosis, and surgical and nonsurgical treatment options, please visit the Patient Information section of the AANS website.
Founded in 1931 as the Harvey Cushing Society, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is a scientific and educational association with more than 8,000 members worldwide. The AANS is dedicated to advancing the specialty of neurological surgery in order to provide the highest quality of neurosurgical care to the public. All active members of the AANS are certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons (Neurosurgery) of Canada or the Mexican Council of Neurological Surgery, AC. Neurological surgery is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of disorders that affect the entire nervous system including the spinal column, spinal cord, brain and peripheral nerves.
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