Salem, Oregon, August 10, 2009—Athletes in Oregon schools have protection under a new law. Oregon’s SB 348 requires coaches of school athletic teams to receive annual training to recognize the symptoms of concussion. If an athlete is diagnosed with a concussion, he or she will not be permitted to return to play until all symptoms resolve and are released for play by a health care professional.
Max’s Law, as it is known, was named after high school senior and team quarterback, Max Conradt, who sustained repeated concussions during two consecutive high school football games, resulting in a disabling brain injury. Senator Bill Morrisette of Springfield sponsored the bill at the request of the Brain Injury Association of Oregon. Other partners responsible for the bill’s passage include Dr. Michael Koester of the Slocum Center for Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, Dr. Jim Chesnutt, Medical Director of the OHSU Sports Medicine Program, Tom Welter, of the Oregon School Activities Association.
An estimated 3.8 million sports and recreation-related concussions occur each year. Although contact sports such as football, rugby and martial arts come to mind first, most sports activities, including hockey, soccer, basketball, wrestling and cheerleading all pose concussion risks to young athletes. Oregon athletic, educational, medical and brain injury advocates are hopeful that SB 348 will help reduce the number of youth sports concussions each year and will help coaches better manage concussions when they do occur.
ACTive concussion training program
IMPACT concussion management program
CDC – Heads Up Concussion Program
Oregon School Activities Association
BrainLine is an excellent, extensive and easy to navigate site for preventing, treating and living with Traumatic Brain Injury. Funded by the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center, BrainLine can be followed on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/brainline), Twitter (http://twitter.com/brainline), Linkedin and RSS. Check it out!