Insight
New findings on sports-related concussion in children could help to improve management of the condition and stem long-term problems that can arise years after injury.
Neurokinex is pioneering new technology and a new model to address health inequalities experienced by people living with paralysis. The social enterprise was founded in 2013 by Harvey Sihota, owner of a spinal cord injury, with a mission to redefine the landscape for newly injured people when they first leave hospital. Sihota says: “A change [...]
Professionals representing key disciplines at St Andrew’s Healthcare explain their priorities in managing this highly complex condition.
A view from the frontline of child brain injury care on this often misunderstood and under-diagnosed condition.
The professionals helping to make sure sex is not forgotten in the drive to improve life quality after severe injury.
Dr Tom Balchin’s mission to help UK stroke survivors was forged in tragedy. In late 1996, his twin brother Alex died aged 21 after falling from a building during a night out in London. Three months later Tom suffered a serious subarachnoid haemorrhage stroke, which he believes may indeed have been triggered by the stress [...]
Having had a career as an elite athlete abruptly ended through a freak accident, Drew Graham now dedicates himself to inspiring others through exercise. Drew’s Pop Up Gym - a dedicated facility in the North of England for people with spinal and neurological injuries, alongside a number of outreach sessions across the region to bring the service closer to those who need it - illustrates his passionate advocacy of fitness as a means of rehabilitation. Research has shown the benefits exercise can bring to people who have suffered brain injuries, with improved weight and stress management, emotional regulation, and increased strength, energy and attention all being directly linked to regular fitness sessions.
In these emotionally enlightened times, some say the world’s gone soft. Feelings beat facts, offense is derived from almost anything and parental mollycoddling has hit record levels. To the uninitiated, then, the idea of ‘compassion-focused therapy (CFT)’ might sound like yet another sign of barmy snowflakery. But as growing numbers of psychotherapists are proving, it is, in fact, emerging as a highly effective approach in post-brain injury rehab. CFT was conceived by Paul Gilbert, a world- renowned clinical psychologist who founded the Compassionate Mind Foundation in 2006; and published 'The Compassionate Mind: A New Approach to Life's Challenges and Overcoming Depression' in 2009.
The recent report from the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) laid bare the scale of the work that must be done to ensure brain injury patients are properly cared for. To truly meet demand, it said, the UK needs 14,600 neuro-rehab, in-patient beds to meet an annual caseload of around 300,000 ABI admissions. Currently, there are just 4,600 beds nationwide. While this increase will undoubtedly add vital specialist resource to a sector which is badly in need, the report also acknowledged the growing shortage of neuro-rehab personnel.
We often use the terms “concussion” and “mild” or “minor” head or brain injury, synonymously; and read “moderate”, “severe” and, more recently, “very severe” brain injury in medical records. When used appropriately these terms convey information about the clinical presentation, especially in the hours and days following a brain injury. This information helps us to predict overall outcomes, and informs opinions on prognosis. The most widely used definitions are shown in table A (below). Sometimes it is more useful to consider a TBI according to anatomy and pathology. To do this we must first understand some basic principles of brain structure and function.
