Dr. Dixon is proud to be the concussion therapist for the Kitchener Rangers (OHL). His role with the team is to help athletes manage symptoms and return to play safely, in the shortest possible time. Dr. Dixon is also a certified Complete Concussion Management (CCMI) practitioner and he has been treating concussion patients for more than a decade.

Complete Concussion Management is an evidence-based program that incorporates everything from pre-season baseline testing to concussion rehabilitation. Dr. Dixon’s goal is to help patients and athletes safely return to learn, work and play.

What is a Concussion?

A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury caused by an acceleration/deceleration of the brain. It is important to note that a concussion causes temporary functional deficits and that there are no structural changes (no findings on MRI or CT). Blood flow to the brain is also altered following a concussion.

Concussion symptoms may include headaches, pressure in the head, neck pain, nausea or vomiting, cognitive problems, dizziness, balance problems, trouble falling asleep and emotional changes.

For a further understanding of what a concussion is, please watch the video below:

Treatment for Persistent Post-Concussion Symptoms

Following a suspected injury, it is recommended that you see a healthcare professional with concussion training, as soon as possible. Recent studies have shown that one of the best predictors of concussion recovery is how fast you are assessed at a concussion clinic.

Every concussion can present differently. Therefore, an individualized treatment and rehabilitation program should be initiated.

Scientific evidence indicates that a concussion is best treated with:

• Early initiation of a sub-max cardio exercise program
• Visual and vestibular rehab exercises
• Manual therapy and rehab exercises to address whiplash associated neck pain
• Cognitive testing and rehab exercises
• Patient education (including dietary and supplement recommendations) and reassurance

Our Concussion Treatments

At Sports Rehab and Wellness, we offer a full suite of evidence-based concussion treatments, including:

• Balance Testing (SWAY Balance App)
• Visual and Vestibular Testing (Neuroflex)
• Cognitive Testing (DANA)
• Visuo-Vestibular Rehabilitation
• Integrated Manual Therapy
• Exercise Rehab (University of Buffalo Concussion Protocol)
• Return to School, Work and Sport
• Pre-Season Baseline Testing
• Educational Resources

Pre-Season Baseline Testing

Multimodal pre-season testing (AKA Baseline Concussion Testing) is a series of physical and cognitive tests that provide a pre-injury overview of healthy brain function. In other words, we test your balance, your reaction time, your memory, your visual tracking speed, and a whole bunch of other brain functions. This gives us a map of how your brain functions when you are healthy.

If you sustain a concussion, we can use your pre-injury results to see not only where the deficits are, but how much deficit exists. This can help us both with our treatment strategy and with developing a better understanding of when your brain has recovered and you are safe to return to your sport.

It’s important to remember that not all baseline testing is created equal. The Complete Concussions protocol is unique in that it combines the best evidence-based tools available so that you are getting the most complete brain map available.

Concussion Tracker App

The Concussion Tracker smartphone app supports safer return-to-sport decisions for young athletes and helps with your concussion care overall. The app captures and shares an athlete’s concussion status in real time and allows concussed patients to interact with their care provider and provide regular symptom updates and clinical check-ins.

When a concussion hits, Concussion Tracker allows users to:

• Perform neurocognitive assessments and compare to baseline
• Report and track concussions
• Conduct sideline assessments
• Ensure seamless communication
• Record athlete’s recovery status and timeline
• Scan and share medical documents
• Track daily symptoms for recovery progress
• Store and view pre-season baseline concussion test results

Download the Concussion Tracker app for free today!