The one thing you should prioritize after known subconcussive exposure is sleep. Subconcussions are head impacts that don’t result in clinical symptoms, but there is subtle neuro-inflammation post subconcussive exposure. [1-2] Sleep can be a touchy subject for tactical athletes. You know the importance of sleep, but your sleep deprivation is often outside of your… Continue reading What You Should Prioritize After Subconcussive Exposure
Tag: Subconcussion
Look Away- The High Level Skill of Anti-Saccades
Quick eye movements away from a stimulus are called anti-saccades. We innately want to quickly move our eyes toward a stimulus (toward a sound or light), therefore anti-saccades require higher level of processing and skill to suppress the reflexive movement and create an eye movement away from the stimulus. The ability to do so quickly… Continue reading Look Away- The High Level Skill of Anti-Saccades
Subconcussions And Performance In MMA
Mixed martial arts and tactical combatives require execution in a close position to your opponent. To be successful the fighter must have quick reactions- integrating speed, strength, and precision of movement. Mixed martial artists without history of concussion and are asymptomatic have shown a reduction in the performance of the reflex that keeps a target… Continue reading Subconcussions And Performance In MMA
Execution With Divided Focus
As a tactical operator you often encounter situations where you have a divided focus. A divided focus requires quick, accurate eye movements between multiple targets. This utilizes a part of the visual system called saccades. To execute at a high level in a condition of divided focus your saccadic eye movements will need the following:… Continue reading Execution With Divided Focus
Brain Changes In Tactical Operators With Repeated Subconcussive Exposures
Tactical Operators have distinct changes in the roadways of their brain with repeated subconcussive exposure. [1,2] These changes can be boiled down to two things: Highways where there shouldn’t be Rugged trails where there should be highways The areas of these altered roadways are in the areas where we see the insidious effects of these… Continue reading Brain Changes In Tactical Operators With Repeated Subconcussive Exposures
Speed And Precision
Subconcussions can lead to a decrease in speed and precision due to the impact on the vestibular system and brain communication (functional connectivity). If a target presents itself in your central vision, and the appropriate reaction is to quickly drop to one knee to maximize your cover, you want to do so at your fastest… Continue reading Speed And Precision
Situational Awareness And Subconcussions
As a Physical Therapist working at Joint Base Lewis-McChord I started a clinic to help those with dizziness and balance issues. In that clinic I noticed a trend of soldiers nearing retirement who came in with difficulty maintaining a high level of situational awareness in a more complex environment. Examples of this include difficulty keeping… Continue reading Situational Awareness And Subconcussions
The 4 Subconcussive Exposures
I like to classify potential mechanisms of subconcussive injuries into 4 different categories. This helps me to organize my mind when thinking about an individual or teams’ most likely exposures, as well as come up with solutions to mitigate exposure wherever possible. Here are the following 4 categories of subconcussive exposure I use: 1. Direct… Continue reading The 4 Subconcussive Exposures