CONCUSSION CLINIC

Cardiff Concussion Clinic

At Pro Sports Medicine, our sports doctors have experience of managing concussion at the highest levels of rugby, football and boxing. We can provide accurate assessment of the injury and offer the latest evidenced based research on return to play protocols to ensure the safest return to sport, work, education and daily life as a whole. 

Concussion is a type of brain injury that should be taken seriously. While concussion mostly occurs with direct blows to the head, particularly from sports like Rugby and football – concussion can also occur indirectly during non-contact sports or injuries sustained during daily life.

In 2022, Pro Sports Medicine became one of the first UK clinics to become part of the Complete Concussion Management (CCMI) Partnership Programme – a network of clinics around the world offering evidence-based concussion care.

Our senior practitioners Dr Daniel Vaughan and Physiotherapist Dan Jones have undergone extensive training in concussion management, allowing them to implement strategies to ensure a full and safe recovery.

Our team have the ability to:

  • Perform a complete battery of baseline testing (pre-concussion screening)
  • Carry out a full and comprehensive concussion assessment
  • Implement safe and effective treatment strategies to aid in a safe return to work / learning / sport
  • Talk with local clubs, schools and organisations about concussions

 

We will work with your family, school, workplace, doctor and coaches to implement a gradual, progressive return to work / learning and return to play. Research has proven that working together as a team, under expert guidance, is the best way to achieve a more complete recovery.

What is a concussion?

A concussion is a brain injury caused by acceleration or deceleration of the brain within the skull following a significant impact to the head or elsewhere on the body. The impact causes a biochemical imbalance within the brain cells, resulting in decreased blood flow and temporary energy deficits within the brain. Symptoms may include loss of consciousness, headache, pressure in the head, neck pain, nausea or vomiting, dizziness, or balance problems, among others.

Concussion Management & Treatment

For the best outcomes, concussion treatment needs a multifaceted approach. Some of the strategies we employ to achieve this are:

  • Exertional testing to assess return to play readiness.
  • Sub-symptom threshold exercise programs for persistent symptoms.
  • Assessment and treatment of the neck (cervical spine), metabolic issues, vestibular and oculomotor impairments.
  • Balance, reaction time, visual processing and neurocognitive testing.
  • Provide educational resources, including a Concussion Tracker app, to help you understand what is going on and why. Find out more about and download the Concussion Tracker App here – https://completeconcussions.com/resources/concussion-tracker-app/

 

How can we help your concussion?

We can work with sporting teams to complete comprehensive baseline testing to ensure that, if a concussion occurs throughout the season, we can ensure the safest and quickest recovery. If you have not completed baseline testing our team is still very well-equipped to be able to assess and treat your concussion using normative data from the research.

We often present to clubs and organisations on concussions and the appropriate management of them, from simply understanding what a concussion is and why it happens to diagnosis and immediate management of concussion, ensuring you get back to normal as soon as possible.

There is emerging research on how concussion should be managed in order to achieve the safest and speediest recovery. The Welsh Rugby Union and Football Association recommend that all individuals suspected of sustaining a concussion should be referred to a medical practitioner for assessment and again seen by a Doctor with experience in concussion management prior to return to play.

Concussion management and return to sport is not a service offered under the current NHS contract and not all doctors have the experience or expertise in managing sport related concussion. Furthermore, certain cohorts of patients like children/adolescents, those with a history of recurrent concussions, individuals with headache disorders, mental health problems and learning disabilities are particularly vulnerable to complications from concussion and/or prolonged symptoms.


 
Should you require any further information about the Pro Sports Medicine Concussion clinic services – please complete the below contact form or email us on info@prosportsmedicine.co.uk; 
 

Dr Daniel Vaughan
Specialist Sports Doctor

Dr Vaughan is first team doctor for Newport County Football Club, Cardiff Rugby and Medical Officer to the British Boxing Board of Control. Having completed undergraduate training in Exeter, he has worked within the UK and Australia where he has developed his sport and exercise interests with the Newcastle Knights & Manley Sea Eagles NRL teams.

He has post-graduate qualifications in sport and exercise medicine and musculoskeletal ultrasound and has been awarded membership to the faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine, Ireland. Dr. Vaughan has a special interest in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of joint and soft tissue problems in elite athletes and the non-sporting population alike. He believes strongly in the use of sports medicine as a way to develop a strong and robust individual to achieve their aspirations – whether this be in sport, life or both.

He prides himself on providing bespoke, evidence based care, centred on the individual. He is proficient in MSK Ultrasound diagnostic imaging as well as using this to guide a variety of joint and soft tissue injections including as PRP, Ostenil and steroid injections. Dr Vaughan can request blood tests, imaging (like x-rays and MRI) and perform onward referral to his close network of specialists such as orthopaedic surgeons.

Dr. Vaughan has extensive experience of managing concussion at the highest levels of professional rugby, football and boxing.



Daniel Jones
Chartered Physiotherapist

Daniel graduated from the University Of Wales College Of Medicine in 2003, with a BSc Honours degree in Physiotherapy. Throughout his career he has developed a broad range of clinical experience, from working with the general public to elite sports athletes.

He has previously worked in New Zealand, Australia and the U.K., with a specialist interest in musculoskeletal and sports medicine and has completed an MSc in Sports Physiotherapy at Cardiff University.

Daniel has worked with a number of professional sports teams including Worcester Warriors, Gloucester Rugby and the Welsh Rugby Union as Head Physiotherapist to the Wales National Sevens Squad. Daniel is currently Head of Medical Services for Cardiff Rugby. Notably Daniel worked with the Wales Rugby National Squad for the 2021 Summer International series.


 

Dr Dale Thomas
Clinical & Sports Psychologist 

Dr Thomas holds a doctorate in clinical psychology (DClinPsy) and a masters in applied Sport and Exercise Psychology. He specialises in performance psychology for elite populations and high pressured environments. 

His experience includes working with elite athletes and he is currently working full time with the Welsh National Rugby team focussing mainly on performance psychology. His role also includes providing clinical psychological support for the four professional rugby regions across Wales. 

Dr Thomas also has experience of working with professionals that operate in high pressured environments such as neurosurgery and corporate businesses. Key skills such as formulation, psycho-education and specialist psychological therapy are key to his practice. Positive psychology and Acceptance and commitment therapy are central in his ethos.



Should you require any further information about the Pro Sports Medicine Concussion clinic services – please complete the below contact form or email us on info@prosportsmedicine.co.uk
 
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