PodcastsHealth & WellnessHeadfirst: A Concussion Podcast

Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast

Dr Reece Granger BSc (Hons), BChiro
Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast
Latest episode

135 episodes

  • Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast

    Concussion, Epilepsy and The Blood-Brain Barrier with Dr Colin Doherty

    2026/06/23 | 49 mins.
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    Professor Doherty holds the Ellen Mayston Bates Chair in Neurology at Trinity College Dublin's School of Medicine and serves as a Consultant Neurologist in the Epilepsy Service at St James's Hospital. He is also a Principal Investigator at the Research Ireland FutureNeuro Centre, one of Ireland's flagship national research programmes for neurological disease. His research spans brain imaging in epilepsy, mild traumatic brain injury, and neurological disorders, uniquely positioning him to explore the critical intersection between head injuries and seizure disorders.
     

    01:30 - Journey into Medicine and Research Epilepsy, Blood Brain Barrier and Concussion
    09:00 - Concussion, Sub-Concussive Blow, Repetitive Head Impacts and Epilepsy
    17:00 – Epilepsy & Seizures Like Activities During Concussion
    28:00 - Blood-Brain Barrier and Concussion
    35:00 – How is Blood-Brain Barrier Damaged
    44:00 – Multi-disciplinary Groups and How to Make Sport’s We Love Safer 
    47:50 - Where to Find Professor Colin Doherty, help support and follow your research?

    https://futureneurocentre.ie/breakthroughs/lasting-blood-brain-barrier-damage-linked-to-cognitive-decline-in-retired-athletes/
    Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=1AS5w58AAAAJ&view_op=list_works&sortby=pubdate
     

    Twitter: @first concussion
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    Email: headfirstconcussion@gmail.com
  • Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast

    Concussion Policies and Litigation; The more things change, the more they stay the same with Dr Eric Windholz

    2026/06/16 | 42 mins.
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    Welcome back to Headfirst: A Concussion We are honoured to introduce returning guest Dr Eric Windholz, a leading expert in regulatory theory practice and sports law. Dr. Windholz has made significant contributions to academic literature with numerous publications in esteemed journals and substantial involvement in various books and chapters and currently Associate Professor at Monash University. Dr. Windholz also holds notable roles, including serving on the Editorial Board for the Australia New Zealand Sports Law Journal and as a Committee Member for the Law Institute of Victoria Sports Law Committee. Join us as Dr. Windholz explores complex topics such as athlete coverage, workers' compensation in sports, and clarifies the differences between class actions and individual lawsuits.
     
    Episode 28 - Sports Law and Concussion
    Episode 49 – Australian Sports Commission Concussion Updates, Navigating Workers Compensation and Concussion in Sports 
    Episode 96 - Class Actions, AFL Concussion Claims and the Legal Fallout
     
     
    01:35 - The more things change, the more they stay the same ... 
    05:30 - Class action update
    11:50 – Class Action Litigation vs Individual Trial 
    14:50 - Technology updates - Helmets
    23:18 – Zurich Health Insurance and Angus Brayshaw 
    28:06 – Aiden O'Driscoll from Western Bulldogs  
    35:30 - Adrain Whitehead; Carlton Player Who Got Workers Compensation
     
    Dr Eric Windholz
    Journal: Professional athletes and injury insurance: A better way forward
    https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1037969X251337131
    Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=7n5Zr5sAAAAJ&hl=en 
    X/Twitter: @ELWindholz
     
    Subscribe, review and share for new episodes which will drop weekly
    Social media:
    Twitter: @first concussion
    Facebook: Headfirst: A concussion podcast
    Instagram: Headfirst_ Concussion  
    Email: headfirstconcussion@gmail.com
  • Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast

    History of Football, FIFA and the Soccer World Cup with Dr Tony Collins

    2026/06/09 | 48 mins.
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    Welcome back to Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast,  we welcome back returning guest Professor Tony Collins, is a renowned historian and Emeritus Professor, widely regarded as a leading authority in the field of sports history. Over the course of a distinguished career spanning several decades, he has authored more than a dozen books and is a four-time recipient of the prestigious Aberdare Prize. His expertise has also been featured in major media outlets, including BBC Radio 4’s Sport.
    Previous Episodes
    Episode 61 – exploring the history of ball sports.
    Episode 70 – discussing the history and evolution of the concussion crisis in sport.
    Episode 99 – examining the history behind the famous Ashes rivalry between Australia and England.
    With the World Cup now upon us, today's conversation turns to the fascinating history of soccer and the rise of its governing body, FIFA, tracing the sport's evolution from its early origins to becoming the world's most popular game.
    01:00 - What where First Iteration of Football
    03:40 – How Soccer Took Over Rugby in England
    08:05 – Way Soccer Become Global Over Other Sports
    12:00 – Is English Football Responsible for Preserving Footballs Culture
    19:20 – Hooliganism and Football 
    24:25 – History of FIFA 
    32:12 – How Soccer is as Strong at Club and National Level vs Other Sports
    34:10 – Origins of the Soccer World Cup
    41:15 – Favourite Football World Cup Moments 
     
    Tony Collins:
    x/twitter: @collinstony
    http://www.tonycollins.org
     Rugby Reload Podcast: http://www.rugbyreloaded.com
     
    Subscribe, review and share for new episodes which will drop weekly 
    Social media:
    Twitter: @first concussion
    Facebook: Headfirst: A concussion podcast
    Instagram: Headfirst_ Concussion  
    Email: headfirstconcussion@gmail.com
  • Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast

    From FIFA and UEFA Independent Advisory to International Consensus Statement on Concussion in Sport with Professor Jon Patricios (Re-Release Feb 2025)

    2026/06/02 | 32 mins.
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    Re-Release Feb 2025: Everything was correct at time of recording and subject to change
    Welcome back to Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast. Today, we're joined by Professor Jon Patricios, a leader in sports medicine since 1996. He is the Director of Waterfall Sports Orthopaedic Surgery and a Professor at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, where he leads the Wits Sport and Health Research Group. With fellowships in sport and exercise medicine from South Africa, the UK, and Ireland, he also founded Sports Concussion South Africa. Professor Patricios consults for World Rugby and serves on various concussion committees, including the International Concussion in Sports Group. He's co-lead author of the 2023 International Consensus Statement on Concussion in Sport and has worked with FIFA, UEFA, and the NFL. An editor for the British Journal of Sports Medicine, he’s also the author of over 130 peer-reviewed publications, with a focus on sport-related concussion and physical activity's health benefits.
     
    03:40 - How Professor Patricios Become Involved in Sports Medicine and Concussion 

    06:33 - What is a concussion? 

    10:08 - Resources (Tools) and Challenges Across All Levels 

    12:38 - Concussion in Sports Group: Processes Involved Putting the Consensus paper together 

    17:19 - How Do You Chose the Articles for The Consensus Paper? 
     
    19:44 - Role of Medical Director 
     
    25:16 - FIFA World Cup and UEFA Independent Advisory 
     
    29:10 - Soccer Concussion Substitutes 
     
    31:20 - Where to Find Professor Jon Patricios 
     
     
    Professor Jon Patricios:
    https://www.sportsconcussion.co.za/our-team/dr-jon-patricios/
    https://jonpatricios.com
    Consensus Statement: https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/57/11/695
    X/Twitter: @jonpatricios
    Research and Journal Article: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jon-Patricios
     
    Social media:
    Twitter: @first concussion
    Facebook: Headfirst: A concussion podcast
    Instagram: Headfirst_ Concussion  
    Email: headfirstconcussion@gmail.com
  • Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast

    Paediatric Concussion and Emergency Medicine with Dr Rodger Zemek

    2026/05/26 | 51 mins.
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    Professor Roger Zemek, an internationally recognised leader in paediatric concussion research and clinical care. Dr Zemek serves as a Paediatric Emergency Physician and Senior Researcher at Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, while a Professor of Paediatrics and Emergency Medicine at University of Ottawa. His work has been central to shaping contemporary approaches to concussion assessment, recovery trajectories, and evidence-based management in children and adolescents, including leadership of one of the world’s largest prospective paediatric concussion studies. Lastly Dr. Zemek has authored more then 250 peer-reviewed articles with more than 15,000 citations 
     
    01:10 – Journey into Medicine and Pivot to Concussion Research
    04:30 – Empathy of Emergency Physician and Concussion
    06:30 - What is a concussion?
    10:00 - Differences in Concussion Between Adults, Adolescents, and Paediatric population
    16:20 – Return-to-Learn (RTL) & Return-to-Play (RTP)
    23:30 – Persisting Symptoms After Concussion (PSAC)
    30:00 - Predictors for PSAC
    40:30 - Principle Investigator - OBI Transcendent
    47:10 - Biggest Take Home Message & How to Support Dr Zemek
     
    Professor Rodger Zemek:
    CHEO: https://www.cheoresearch.ca/research/find-a-researcher/roger-zemek/
    Google Scholar https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=NF6riNcAAAAJ&hl=en
    Clinical Risk Score for Persistent Postconcussion Symptoms Among Children With Acute Concussion in the ED - https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2499274#google_vignette
    https://www.transcendentconcussion.ca

    Subscribe, review and share for new episodes which will drop fortnightly
    Social media:
    Twitter: @first concussion
    Facebook: Headfirst: A concussion podcast
    Instagram: Headfirst_Concussion  
    Email: headfirstconcussion@gmail.com
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About Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast
Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast, discusses all things concussion. From the physiology, effects, treatment and rehabilitation process. All with the aim of providing the tools and education to help patients. DISCLAIMER: All information discussed and provided is not a substitute for professional medical advice of doctors or healthcare practitioners. If a listener believes they are suffering from a similar injury to one discussed by the author, please seek medical care of your doctor or physician and do not rely on the author's advice.
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