Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast

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Dr. Deana Simonetto is a sociologist and Assistant Professor of History and Sociology at UBC Okanagan. Her research examines crime and deviance, gender, families, and sport, with a focus on how women navigate public identities while married to professional athletes.
 Dr. Daniel Sailofsky is an Assistant Professor in Kinesiology & Physical Education at the University of Toronto. A sociologist with a background in law and sport management, his work explores violence, gender, social harm, and the political economy of sport. He is the author of Playing Through Pain: The Violent Consequences of Capitalist Sport.
 
 
01:40 - How Dr Simonetto Become Involved in Concussion, Sociology of Sport & gender

04:10 - How Dr Sailofsky Become Involved in Concussion, Sociology of Sport & gender

09:55 – What is a Concussion/ CTE (Dr Simonetto)

13:50 - What is a Concussion/ CTE (Dr Sailofsky)

17:20 – Athlete’s as a Commodity, Fans as the Consumer and Sporting Work Place Injuries

21:15 – Athlete’s Identity and Cognitive Decline Post Career

29:00 – Impact of Neurodegenerative Disease

32:15 – Autonomy and Informed Consent of One’s Decisions

36:45 - Care Giver Burden of Neurodegenerative Disease and Inter Personal Violence

46:00 – The CTE Defence and Removal of Blame For Inter Personal Violence

50:15 – Relationship Breakdowns 

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Social media:
Twitter: @first concussion
Facebook: Headfirst: A concussion podcast
Instagram: Headfirst_ Concussion  
Email: [email protected]

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Wendy Smith is a dedicated advocate for concussion awareness, athlete wellbeing, and brain safety in sport. Following the tragic loss of her son, Antonio Lo Lacono, in 2023 after a head injury on the sporting field, Wendy transformed profound heartbreak into purpose. She is the driving force behind Happy Lid Hats, with proceeds supporting the Concussion Legacy Foundation and vital brain health research. We are deeply grateful to Wendy for sharing her story and for her unwavering commitment to making sport safer for all.
 
02:40 - Happy Lids Mission
03:40 – Incident on the Football Field
06:25 – Air Lifted for the Football Field 
10:00 – Explanation in the Hospital
12:04 - Organ Donation and Antonio Saving the Lives of Others
17:00 – Second Impact Syndrome
19:33 - Education and Meaningful Culture
23:20 – Concussion Awareness
26:11 – Removing Stigma of Concussion & Happy Lid
 
Happy Lids
https://www.happylids.com.au
Instagram: @happy_lids
 
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: [email protected]

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Nick is a seasoned entrepreneur with over 20 years of success founding and leading innovative marketing and technology companies, with background spaning direct-to-consumer marketing, advanced media analytics, and high-performance sports, bringing a unique blend of business leadership and competitive insight to Light Helmets.
Kodiak is Engineering & Production Manager at Light Helmets, brings more than a decade of experience across engineering, design, manufacturing, and supply chain management. Kodiak leads product development and quality control with a focus on athlete safety and performance.

01:00 - Nicks Journey to CEO of Light Helmets & How Kodiak Got into Engineering and Helmets 
06:30 - Light Helmets and Practical Application
11:10 – Helmet Design, Testing and the ‘Mirror Test’
14:00 – What Are Helmets Trying to Achieve?
19:15 – How Do You Approach Teams Getting Helmets into Circulation?
25:15 – Keeping Up to Date with Research
27:30 – Refurbishment of Helmets
34:00 – Cost Burden and Access to Equipment
38:00 – What Are the NFL Requirements for Helmets?
44:35 - What Should Athletes Look for in A Helmets & Where Can People Find Light helmets?

Light Helmets: https://lighthelmets.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoouVTWUPkX0QXH2OWKSOHj9vtUSTcVMJc9jPJ2XGJCxPjmycobV
Instagram: lighthelmets

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: [email protected]

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Dr Povall, a Sydney-based physiotherapist with over 15 years of experience in neurological health and rehabilitation, holding a Doctor of Physiotherapy from Boston Universityfocusing in the recovery of both acute and persistent concussion symptoms. Dr Provall specialises in functional rehabilitation for conditions including concussion, balance and dizziness disorders, neck pain, and autonomic nervous system dysfunction.
01:00 - Journey into Physiotherapy and Concussion
02:45 - What is a concussion
03:50 - What is Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome
08:00 – Signs and Symptoms of ‘POTS’
10:40 – Diagnosis
14:25 – Assessment Process
16:35 – Why is Vison Important?
18:00 – Rehabilitation Process (Return-to-Learn/Work/Play)
24:40 – Addressing Psychosocial Components
27:35 – Tolerance Nudging During Rehabilitation
30:00 – Treatments Tools Along Side Exercise Therapy
33:00 – Advice/ Misconceptions Around Concussion
35:00 – Assessing Difference Systems 
37:15 - Where to Find Dr Provall
 
 
The Brain Hub: https://brainhub.com.au/drjessicapovall/
Dr Jessica Povall: https://www.drjessicapovallphysio.com
Instagram: dr.Jessica.Povall

Social media:
Twitter: @first concussion
Facebook: Headfirst: A concussion podcast
Instagram: Headfirst_ Concussion  
Email: [email protected]

Send us a text
In this episode, we’re joined by acclaimed investigative journalist Brian Deer, one of the most influential figures in modern medical reporting. A two-time British Press Awards winner and Honorary Doctor of Letters recipient from York St John University, Brian is best known for his rigorous investigations into public health, drug safety, and medical ethics.
His work for The Sunday Times exposed major failures in pharmaceutical oversight and unethical medical practices, including the investigation that dismantled the fraudulent research behind the claim that the MMR vaccine causes autism.
That reporting culminated in his award-winning book, The Doctor Who Fooled the World, a detailed examination of how a single false study triggered a global health crisis and lasting damage to public trust. Today’s conversation explores that story and its continuing impact.
 
01: 55 - Brian’s Journey into investigative Journalism 
03:00 - The Vaccine Story 
06:50 – What Made Brian Look into The MMR Vaccination and Andrew Wakefield?
10:00 – Turning Points in the Investigation 
17:25 – How Did the Paper/ Study Get Published
20:00 – Push Back, Lawsuits and Personal Attacks
34:26 – Has the Public Completely Lost Trust in Vaccinations After Covid-19
38:55 – Was it Coincidence Book Released During Covid-19?
  
Website: https://briandeer.com
Twitter/X: @deerbrian