Concussions

The objective of this study is to increase the scientific data with regard to

cranial osteopathy. This study will show the importance of cranial osteopathic

treatment in part or in whole for traumatic brain injuries (TBI). Researcher

examined current research in order to determine the treatment protocol for the

osteopathic treatment group looking specifically at the physiological changes

that occur within the cerebral spinal fluid post-TBI. This experiment was a

blinded comparison study with a test - retest design. The ImPACT® test was

used as the measuring tool. According to Iverson, Lovel and Collins (2004) the

ImPACT® test is the most comprehensive and sensitive measuring tool battery

available for neurocognitive testing. The ImPACT® test has been shown to be

.946 percent valid and reliable and has been adopted as the gold standard for

neurocognitive baseline testing for the NHL, NFL, NBA, MLB, OHL, NCAA, CIS

(Iverson, Lovell and Collins, 2004). A number of minor league organizations are

also choosing to adopt the practice of baseline testing.! !

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This experiment was a single blinded two-group study that looked at the

rate of healing between a control group (CG) and the experimental group (EG) as

measured by the ImPACT® test. The subjects were both male and female and

were between the ages of 10 and 55 years. The subjects ranged in all activity

levels and ranged in age between 10 and 55 years in order to replicate the

general population. The subjects had been diagnosed with a concussion by a

medical doctor and were still symptomatic. The subjects were free of any brain

tumors or cranial implants and had no history of attention deficits disorder (ADD)

and/or attention deficits hyperactive disorders (ADHD). They were also void of

any seratonin re-uptake medications.!

! Control Group (CG) consists of 9 individuals (6 male and 3 female). They

had the opportunity to complete the ImPACT® test 4 times 6 days apart over a 4-

week period. During this time the participants were given the means with which

they could self-manage their concussion symptoms. CG was mentored in three

important areas to promote self-healing. Specifically, the importance of rest and

nutrition, as well as a coping strategy (cognitive scale) to enable them to

reintroduce themselves back into society as positive members in a symptom-free

fashion.!

! Experimental Group (EG) consisted of 18 participants (9 male and 9

female). The participants were given the opportunity to complete the ImPACT®

test 4 times 6 days apart over a 4-week period. After completing the

neurocognitive testing each week they were administered a cranial osteopathic

treatment that coincided with the cranial osteopathic protocol as set out by the

researcher. The first treatment consisted of the osseous structures of the

cranium; the second treatment was specific to the venous sinus; the third

treatment explored the lesions within the dural system; and finally the fourth

treatment looked at any dysfunction within the ventricle system.!

! Intriguing results were observed within the data specifically relating to total

symptom score (TSS). The data that was collected was of interest due to the

positive pattern of change that was observed. The data within this study

suggests that cranial osteopathy improved cognitive symptoms within a

concussed population three times faster than the control group. It is the hope of

this researcher that the information will be used in the future to further

osteopathic research within the realm of concussions.!