NYITCOM and Celebrity Athletes Team Up for Head Injury Awareness

Photo: Joe Namath spoke about the dangers of concussions at the Head Injury Awareness Sports Forum.

Contrary to popular belief, only ten percent of concussion patients experience a loss of consciousness. This is one of many misconceptions about the impact of concussions, a topic addressed by former professional athletes, faculty members, and NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine(NYITCOM) healthcare professionals from the Center for Sports Medicine at the Head Injury Awareness Sports Forum on March 22.

Speaking before a standing-room-only crowd at NYIT de Seversky Mansion, the presenters strongly encouraged parents, athletes, coaches, and students to be mindful of the dangers associated with concussions and to understand methods of prevention and treatment for these serious injuries.

Former NFL player Curtis Martin addresses the crowd at the Head Injury Awareness Sports Forum.

The event, co-sponsored with the Head Injury Association, featured a keynote address by Barry Miskin, M.D., medical director of the Joe Namath Neurological Research Center, as well as a panel of eight former athletes, including:

• Joe Namath, former New York Jets quarterback,
• Curtis Martin, former New England Patriots and New York Jets running back
• Bobby Nystrom former New York Islander
• Ramon Dominguez, former professional jockey

The panelists shared their firsthand experiences of dealing with concussions at a time when athletes were instructed to simply “shake it off” and remain on the field; they also voiced concerns that more action must be taken to educate athletes and coaches about the danger of concussions. Namath cited that he had suffered at least five concussions during his football career, while Martin noted that even as recently as 2006, upon his retirement from the NFL, leaving the game for a concussion would be considered laughable. Dominguez, who was forced to retire from professional horse racing in 2013 due to a brain injury, recounted witnessing an incident at his child’s basketball game and urged parents to consider the risks of head injuries more seriously. In addition to emphasizing the need to recognize signs and symptoms of concussion, the panelists spoke about treatment options such as osteopathic manipulative treatment using hands-on care to move muscles and joints via stretching, gentle pressure and resistance, and hyperbaric oxygen treatment, which enhances the body's natural healing process by inhalation.

Hallie Zwibel (D.O. ’11), assistant professor at NYITCOM and director of the Center for Sports Medicine, and Christina Finn, assistant professor at NYIT School of Health Professions, provided insight on the latest innovations in concussion management and reviewed the services offered at the Center for Sports Medicine, which treat amateur athletes and patients of all ages, as well as student-athletes from NYIT.