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William P. Meehan, III, MD

Gradual Return To Play And Longer Recovery Period Recommended, Especially for Younger Athletes

Dr. William P. Meehan, III, Director of the Sports Concussion Clinic at Boston Children's Hospital. discusses return to play after a sports-related concussion, including successful completion of a graduated exercise protocol, consideration of all clinical factors, including the results of computerized neurocognitive tests, the age of the athlete, and the level of play.

Baseline Balance and Computerized Neurocognitive Tests Recommended For Sports With High Concussion Risk

William P. Meehan, III, MD, Director of the Sports Concussion Clinic at Boston Children's Hospital, recommends both baseline balance and computerized neurocognitive testing for athletes playing sports with high concussion risk, but two 2012 studies suggest that comparing a concussed athlete's scores on post-concussion neurocognitive tests to those of athletes of the same age and gender is sufficient for purposes of concussion management and return-to-play decision-making. 

Rule Out More Serious Head or Neck Injury Before Concussion Assessment, Top Doc Says

The response to a head or neck injury in sports depends on the severity at the moment. More serious injuries should be ruled out before assessing an athlete for concussion, says Dr. William P. Meehan, III, MD, Director of the Sports Concussion Clinic at Boston Children's Hospital.

Return-To-Play After Concussion: Four Criteria

William P. Meehan, III, M.D., Director of the Sports Concussion Clinic and the Micheli Center for Sports Injury Prevention in the Division of Sports Medicine at Boston Children's Hospital, discusses the four criteria that should be met before an athlete is allowed to return to play after a concussion.

Decision to Retire From Contact Or Collision Sports After Concussion Based On Many Factors

William P. Meehan, III, M.D., Director of the Sports Concussion Clinic and the Micheli Center for Sports Injury Prevention in the Division of Sports Medicine at Children's Hospital Boston, discusses the many factors an athlete and his or her family should consider in deciding whether to retire from contact or collision sports after multiple concussions.

Concussions in Cheerleading Happen, Too

William P. Meehan, III, M.D., Director of the Sports Concussion Clinic and the Micheli Center for Sports Injury Prevention in the Division of Sports Medicine at Children's Hospital Boston, explains how today's cheerleaders have a higher risk of concussions during practice, which is unusual, and recommends that athletes engaged in competitive cheer undergo baseline neurocognitive testing every year.

 

Three Ways To Reduce Risk of Concussion

 

William P. Meehan, III, M.D., Director of the Sports Concussion Clinic and the Micheli Center for Sports Injury Prevention in the Division of Sports Medicine at Children's Hospital Boston, discusses three ways for an athlete to reduce the risk of concussion: cervical neck strengthening, playing with their head up, and being in good, general physical condition.

Neck Strengthening Exercises To Reduce Concussion Risk

When athletes see a hit coming, they instinctively flex their neck muscles. Since it is the acceleration of the brain after a force is applied or transmitted to the head that results in concussion, reducing the acceleration of the head after impact can reduce the risk of sustaining a sport-related concussion. One way to do that is by strengthening the neck muscles.

Concussion Therapies: Amantadine Shows Potential in Treating Post-Concussion Syndrome

A first-of-its-kind study reports that the drug Amantadine shows promise in treating adolescents who have not spontaneously recovered from concussion following a 3 to 4 weeks of cognitive and physical rest.

After Concussion: Returning To Class With Academic Accommodations Sometimes Needed

Taking a few days off from school to allow for complete physical and cognitive rest is usually enough to allow most athletes to return to class with no problems, but those who are still experiencing cognitive difficulties, academic accommodations may be necessary, says Dr. William P. Meehan, III.
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