IN Fox Chapel Area Summer 2016 | Page 28

Photo Courtesy Town and Country Studio Assistant field hockey coach Abby Dorrance leads strength and conditioning stretches with her team as part of a pilot program to reduce the risk of ACL injuries. SAFETY IS FIRST PRIORITY FOR STUDENT ATHLETES FOX CH APE L AR EA SC H OO L NE WS ox Chapel Area F ox Chapel Area School District Director of Athletics Michael O’Brien says there is no way to completely eliminate the risk of all sports injuries, but he is committed to ensuring a safe play environment for the 1,368 student athletes in grades seven through twelve who participate in interscholastic sports. mission. He wants to make more people aware of the many advances that have been made in the science of concussion and that the knowledge they have today is far more advanced than what was practiced even just a few years ago. “That concussion is a manageable and treatable injury are the messaging points we need to share,” he explains. “There is a lot of confusion right now about this injury. We need to demystify concussions for people. Concussion really is a pretty coherent injury – we can evaluate it, we can assess it, we can treat it. We can get kids back to play safely. Concussion doesn’t have to be feared.” “I think parents, players, and the community can be assured we are doing everything we can to maintain a safe environment for our student athletes,” explains Mr. O’Brien. “We work very closely with our coaches, players, and the district’s sports medicine staff. In cases of concussed student John Panos, Fox Chapel Area athletes, we also work handSchool District’s certified head Emilia Ravski, D.O., and Fox Chapel Area certified head athletic trainer John in-hand with physicians and athletic trainer and assistant Panos work with one of the high school’s student athletes. The district is specialists from the UPMC vigilant when it comes to sports injury prevention. athletic director, works closely Sports Medicine Concussion with Dr. Collins and his Program who are leaders in staff, as does Jennell Wolfe, their fields. We are very fortunate to have close access to health the certified athletic trainer at Dorseyville Middle School. For care facilities and services that are considered some of the best many years, the district has utilized ImPACT (Immediate Postin the country.” Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing), which was Concussion Protocol Updated Based on Current Research Michael “Micky” Collins, Ph.D., executive and clinical director of the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program (in which the Fox Chapel Area School District participates), is on a 26 Fox Chapel Area designed by concussion program experts and is the first of its kind to identify possible head injuries. Baseline tests measuring cognitive function and memory are administered to all student athletes in grades seven and nine and again in eleventh grade. If a head injury does occur and a concussion is suspected, the test is retaken. Post-injury results are compared with baseline