Team of Experts

Sports concussion neuropsychologist Rosemarie Scolaro Moser, Ph. D.says student-athletes need to get cognitive and physical rest after a concussion in order to reduce the work the injured brain has to do in order to allow it time to heal.

Sports concussion neuropsychologist Rosemarie Scolaro Moser, Ph. D. provides an overview of the concussion evaluation and management process leading, hopefully, to a student-athlete's return to sports:

New rules in place by the Ivy League for the 2011 football season - including a reduction in the number of full-contact practices and drills - were designed to protect student-athletes from subconcussive hits considered a possible cause of long-term brain injury,

Working collaboratively, a team of physical therapists, strength and conditioning coaches, head coaches, and athletic trainers designed an ACL injury prevention program that has reduced the incidence of non-contact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries among female athletes at the University of Pennsylvania, says the school's head athletic trainer, Eric Laudano, M.H.S., ATC.

It is up to school administrators to ensure that an athletic trainer (AT) is part of the athletic department staff at the high school level, says Eric Laudano, M.H.S., ATC, head athletic trainer at the University of Pennsylvania.

Return to sports after an injury is a stepwise process, says Eric Laudano, M.H.S., ATC, head athletic trainer at the University of Pennsylvania, designed to minimize the chances of re-injury.

In determining when an athlete is ready psychologically ready to return to play, communication between the athlete and the athletic training staff, coaches, parents is critical.

An athlete's psychological readiness is just as important for a return to sports as their physical recovery from injury, says Eric Laudano, head athletic trainer at the University of Pennsylvania, especially for long-term injuries.

What are sports nutrition "must-haves"? Peanut butter, low fat milk, oatmeal, nuts, and salmon, says Nancy Clark. And a copy of her Sports Nutrition Guidebook!

Eating foods rich in Omega 3's (DHA or fish oil), such as tunafish or salmon, twice a week, is good  because they heart-healthy and may protect the brain against concussion, says sports nutritionist Nancy Clark.