As Canada’s proud flag bearer at the Opening ceremonies, Rosie MacLennan is Canada’s only reigning Olympic champion set to compete in Rio. She is a trampoline gymnast who will represent Canada in the Olympics for a third time. However, despite her successes, Rosie has had a career filled with injuries, concussions being common throughout her career. A concussion is a brain injury resulting from a direct or indirect blow to the head, face, or jaw causing a negative change in brain function. It is usually a result of sudden acceleration and deceleration of the brain within the skull which induces mechanical changes to the nerve fibres, causing them to stretch, and in turn, alter several important metabolic pathways.
The mechanism for a concussion is not always obvious as a “big hit” or a fall on the head. In Rosie’s case, it was an over-rotation on a jump that caused the sudden acceleration and deceleration of her brain during training in July of 2015. She reported lingering headaches for 7 months, which affected her training for the Rio Olympics, and the difficulty of her routines. The most common symptoms of concussion are headaches, dizziness, loss of balance, and poor concentration. Rosie reveals in her interview with sports writer Vicki Hall that she struggled especially with dizziness and spatial awareness, which is critically important for an athlete who is constantly up higher than 18 feet in the air.
An athlete suspected of a concussion is usually removed immediately from the competition and is assessed on the sidelines by a coach or a trainer. Once a concussion is suspected, there should be no return to play regardless of the athletic performance. The next step is to seek attention from a medical doctor to receive a diagnosis and continue the recovery process, which includes training modifications, close monitoring of symptoms, and employment of different rehabilitation techniques.
On her online blog post Two Steps Forward, One Step Back, Rosie recalls her recovery process during one of her concussions in May of 2012 before the London Olympics. She took the first few days off from all activities that sent a lot of input to the brain such as physical activity, screen time, reading, and listening to music. Then, she progressed to walking, short bike sessions, and eventually modified gym activities and single jumps on the trampoline until she was cleared for full training.
Recovering from concussions is a long and tedious journey with physical, mental, and emotional conflicts. At PrecisonCare physiotherapy, we understand better than anyone that recovering from a concussion is not an easy process. Our physiotherapists are highly trained and certified in concussion management protocol. We understand now more than ever, that just because we can’t see a concussion injury, it does not mean that something is not wrong.
Rosie will compete on Friday, August 12th. We cheer on Rosie and all of our Canadian athletes in Rio!
To ask us a question, email us at askburquitlampt@gmail.com.
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