CONCUSSIONS in Athletes! | Guest: Dr. Scott Zuckerman MD, MPH

On our most recent episode of TheAthleteSpine, we bring an a young, yet very accomplished neurosurgeon, Dr. Scott Zuckerman MD, MPH! He is an Assistant Professor of Neurological Surgery at Vanderbilt University where he serves as the Co-Director of the Vanderbilt Sports Concussion Center as well as the Spine Outcomes Lab. He also serves as an Unaffiliated Neurotrauma Consultant for the National Football League (NFL).

We take a step “up” from the spine for this episode to talk about an incredibly important injury that is common and potentially devastating: CONCUSSIONS! Dr. Zuckerman describes how the term discussion still remains difficult to define, but walks us through the important elements that make up the diagnosis and dispels several misconceptions that are often associated with this traumatic brain injury. He dives into the concept of a functional versus structural injury and why differentiating between the two are so important. Lastly, we discuss the necessary steps that take place in progressing through the recovery protocol to return to play!

Although, concussions are not directly related to a spine-specific injury, this is a common neurologic injury that occurs in all age groups, with a wide range of consequences. The importance of recognizing, then properly treating this injury is paramount. Enjoy!