OPINION
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CONCUSSION in sport is a complicated, emotive issue but we need to talk about it.
Western Bulldogs' tenacious midfielder Liam Picken, a Rebels graduate from Hamilton, quit the game earlier this week. The Bulldogs premiership player is still feeling the repercussions from concussions through his career. Picken last played in a 2018 practice match on our turf at Mars Stadium. He was stretchered off the field.
The spotlight has been strong on lingering impacts of concussion in the AFL the past month with momentum gathering in a law-suit from former players. This includes AFL Mark of the Century-taker Shaun Smith, who was forced to quit the game after a knock while playing-coach of Newlyn in the Central Highlands. In the five years after, his moods uncharacteristically changed.
A Ballarat optometrist is particularly worried about grassroots sports, away from the big resources and heavy scrutiny in managing injuries.
Peter Fairbanks is calling for visual field testing to become a recommendation among major sporting bodies, including the Sport Australia and the Australian Institute of Sport that, with the Australian Medical Association, released a position statement on concussion last month.
Dr Fairbanks argues there is a wealth of supporting evidence in the United States for the test as a tool to measure concussion but there was not enough talk about it in Australia - at least at the grassroots.
Most of his tests are incidental, like an adult coming in complaining of headaches or the child whose academic results have dropped with concentration. Concussion comes up in consultation and he suggests a visual field test.
Dr Fairbanks fears players of all levels across a wide range of sport, from schoolyard games to elite competition, are being sent into action far too prematurely. Dr Fairbanks argues standard concussion tests might be clearing players but looking into their eyes can reveal a whole lot more.
Australia's sports medicine bodies who form the Concussion in Sport Australia alliance are clear in their position: if in doubt, sit them out.
This can be an incredibly tough call for trainers under pressures to play from athletes and coaching staff.
TOUGH REALITY SERIES:
There are major barriers to defining the true impact of concussion because there were so many factors to such a complex issue.
Federation University-based senior researcher Lauren Fortington has previously told The Courier there needed to be stronger, long-term data collection for head injuries in sport because a lot was self-reported and many who experienced symptoms did not present in hospital.
Long-term data collection can be hard to capture at community level and not always feasible.
Dr Fairbanks has faced this issue in his clinic with a lack of follow-up visits once a patient started seeing and feeling more normal.
But at the least, we should all be more aware concussion is a problem that does not always go away. Mental hurt can be tough to talk about but we need to start talking and thinking bigger.
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