Concussion

Medical consensus once held that all concussions were the same, and treatment for all concussion patients therefore followed the same standard approach. In this volume, Anthony Kontos and Michael Collins debunk the one‑size‑fits‑all approach, arguing instead that individuals who experience concussion respond best to targeted interventions based on their specific clinical profile of symptoms and impairment. In fact, the most commonly prescribed management strategy—rest—can actually prolong recovery time for some individuals.
 
The authors present a comprehensive, team‑based model for assessment and treatment of concussion. Assessment should involve an interdisciplinary lineup that evaluates the patient across multiple domains, including vestibular and oculomotor function, cognitive fatigue, post‑traumatic migraine, and anxiety/mood. Based on the individual’s clinical profile, treatment should actively target the affected domains. The book combines empirical evidence with case examples, with special attention to at‑risk populations such as athletes, military, and youth.

This resource is essential reading for those who assess, treat, or research concussion, including professionals and students in clinical-counseling psychology, neuropsychology, neurology, neurosurgery, optometry, pediatrics, physical therapy, primary care, sports medicine, and athletic training.

Anthony P. Kontos, PhD, is the research director for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Sports Medicine Concussion Program, where he also directs the Concussion Research Laboratory. He is an associate professor in the Department of Orthopeadic Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh. He received his doctoral degree in kinesiology/sport psychology from Michigan State University, where he also received master's degrees in counseling psychology and exercise science and completed an internship in counseling psychology. He completed his bachelor of arts degree in psychology at Adrian College, where he was a 4-year starter on the men's soccer team. His research focuses on neurocognitive, neuromotor, and psychological effects of concussion in sport, pediatric, and military populations. He has more than 180 professional publications and 270 professional presentations, and he has received research funding from the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Defense, National Collegiate Athletic Association, National Football League/General Electric Head Health Challenge, and U.S. Army Special Operations Command. Dr. Kontos served as chair of the Sub-acute Subgroup on the NIH Sports Concussion Common Data Elements working group, attended the 2014 White House Healthy Kids and Safe Sports Concussion Summit, and codirected the 2015 Targeted Evaluation and Active Management Approach to Treating Concussion meeting in Pittsburgh. He is also past president of APA Division 47 (Society for Sport, Exercise and Performance Psychology).

Michael (Micky) W. Collins, PhD, is executive and clinical director for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Sports Medicine Concussion Program and an associate professor of orthopaedic surgery at the University of Pittsburgh. He directs six clinical sites with more than 18,000 patient visits annually for concussion and related issues. A graduate of the University of Southern Maine with a bachelor's degree in psychology and biology in 1991, Dr. Collins earned a master's degree in psychology in 1995 and a doctoral degree in clinical psychology in 1998 at Michigan State University. He has specialized in concussion research for the past 17 years; he has published more than 90 peer-reviewed articles and delivered more than 350 presentations at national and international meetings. He has received funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Defense, National Institutes of Health, National Football League/General Electric, and the U.S. Army Special Operations Command. Dr. Collins has been the recipient of several honors, including the Innovations in Treatment Award from the North American Brain Injury Society, the 2010 National Council on Brain Injury annual award for outstanding research and advocacy, and the 2007 Annual Butters Award from the National Academy of Neuropsychology. He attended the 2014 White House Healthy Kids and Safe Sports Concussion Summit and chaired the 2015 Targeted Evaluation and Active Management Approach to Treating Concussion meeting in Pittsburgh. An athlete himself, Dr. Collins played in the 1989 National Collegiate Athletic Association Baseball College World Series.