Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast

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Tom had an outstanding junior career, winning state championships for Western Australia and multiple league best and fairest awards. He was drafted to St Kilda in 2010, spending three seasons at the club and playing with Sandringham in the VFL.
He later returned to WA, becoming a key player for Claremont over eight seasons in the WAFL.
Off the field, Tom completed a law degree and now works as a Special Counsel at Pragma Lawyers in Perth.

01:30 - Journey into Sports and Experiences of the AFL Draft
04:50 – Process Once Drafted
06:30 – Experience of Being In ‘AFL System’ and First Game 
08:12 – Comparison of AFL to State Level
10:28 – Head Injury Assessment and Experiences 
12:50 – Confounding Factors of Playing Through Injuries
14:40 – Attitude Now Towards Concussion Now
15:55 – Changes in Playing Style
17:47 – Perception Changed on Concussion?
19:50 - Favourite Memories of Career
21:50 – Transition from AFL to Everyday Life
23:00 – Where to Find Tom

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Natasha is a registered physical therapist with more than a decade of clinical experience. She holds degrees in Health Science and Kinesiology, along with a Master’s in Physical Therapy from the University of British Columbia. Over the course of her career, she has developed specialised expertise in concussion recovery, neurological rehabilitation, chronic pain management, vestibular therapy, and functional neurology. She is the founder of Symphony Brain Performance, a clinic that has become a sought-after destination for individuals seeking specialised care for concussion and brain health. Natasha’s innovative work has earned significant recognition, including Canada’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award, the Physiotherapist Leadership Award of British Columbia, and Vancouver Island’s Top 20 Under 40 Business and Community Achievement Award. She has also recently been nominated for the Women of Influence Award. In addition to her clinical work, Natasha is the founder and host of the Concussion Nerds podcast and program, where she shares insights and conversations focused on brain health, concussion recovery, and performance.
 
01:35 - How Natasha Become a Physical Therapist
05:30 - Integration into Concussion Rehabilitation 
12:50 - What is a Concussion?
16:40 - What are the Phenotypes of Concussion? 
22:00 - Approach in Treating Concussion/ Misconceptions
30:00 – Psychology and Terminology of Concussion
37:35 – Myths Around Concussion
42:55 – Rewards of Natasha’s Job
44:30 - Where Can People Find Concussion Nerds and Natasha
 
 
Concussion Nerds – Natasha Wilch 
https://www.natasha-wilch.com/concussion-nerds
Podcast: The Concussion Nerds Podcast – Spotify/ Apple 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/natasha.wilch.concussioncoach/
 
IG: @natash.wilch & @concussionnerds
 YouTube:
@NatashaWilch-ConcussionNerd

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Twitter: @first concussion
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**This Episode is a Re-Release from Late 2024,  information may have change since recording** 
 
Welcome back to Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast. Today, we are privileged to have Dr. Jason Chan join us. Dr. Chan recently retired after a distinguished 10-year tenure as the Chief Medical Officer for the Melbourne Storm, where he oversaw the medical management of the team during an era marked by remarkable success. Under his leadership, the Storm appeared in five grand finals, securing two premierships and five minor premierships. Dr. Chan’s tenure also included overseeing nine preliminary finals and managing a total of 249 games. Despite his retirement from the role, he continues to contribute to the club as a medical consultant.
Dr. Chan holds the distinction of being the longest-serving Chief Medical Officer in the history of the Melbourne Storm. Beyond his role with the Storm, he has applied his expertise in various high-profile positions, including with the Queensland State of Origin team, the NRL Māori All Stars, and the Sunshine Coast Lightning Netball team, among others. He is also the founder of the Surgical Assistants Group of Victoria.
With over 28 years of experience across multiple specialties, including general practice, orthopaedics, and general surgery, Dr. Chan is widely recognized as a highly regarded medical professional within the sporting and medical communities. His diverse experience and contributions to the field make him an invaluable asset in the areas of sports medicine and team health management.
 
01:34 - Background and the Role of Chief Medical Officer
05:47 - What Happens with An Athlete in Pre-Season & Baseline Testing 
12:23 - Time to conduct a HIA and Make a Clinical Decision on Game Day 
20:00 - Player Repour on Concussion Diagnosis 
23:00 - HIA’s and Recovery Process of Concussion 
27:20 - Perceptions of the Media 
30:35 - Multifaceted Aspects of Culture and Public Acceptance of Concussion 
38:17 - Over Arching Message 
 
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Welcome back to HeadFirst: A Concussion Podcast. Today Back by popular demand, we’re thrilled to welcome Dr. Stephen Townsend. A Lecturer and Research Fellow at Queensland University’s School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, Dr. Townsend is a leading voice in sport social studies and concussion history. His acclaimed book Head in the Game explores the cultural and social history of concussion in sport—and sets the stage for today’s conversation.
 
01:30 - Head in The Game: Sociocultural Analyses of Brain Trauma in Sport
04:35 – Sociology of Concussion in Sport
08:35 – Main Message of ‘Head in The Game’
14:30 – Sport/ War Nexus; Why Do We Always Compare the Two?
20:50 - Punch-Drunk Murderer: Boxing, Brain Trauma, and the Murder of Hilda Meek
34:55 - Cricket Is a Contact Sport
46:40 - Favourite Aspects of Researching History
 
Dr Stephen Townsend 
Twitter/X: @historycarb
Instagram: @headknockhistorian
 Linkedin page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-townsend-446369b3/?originalSubdomain=au
 
 
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In this episode, we’re honoured to be re-joined by Professor Amanda Ellison who disced all things about the brain and headaches on episode 92, Splitting: The Inside Story on Headaches 
Professor Ellison has published more than 80 peer-reviewed papers, earning close to 3,000 citations, with research spanning visual neuroscience, sensorimotor systems, and neuronal disruption in conditions such as migraine and headache disorders. Her work provides valuable insight into how the brain functions—and malfunctions—following injury or dysfunction.
Alongside her academic research, Professor Ellison is a passionate science communicator and the author of Getting Your Head Around the Brain and Splitting: The Inside Story on Headaches, two widely respected books that translate complex neuroscience into accessible, real-world understanding.
02:00 - The Love for Action Potentials
04:20 – What is Neuron and Why are the Special?
07:30 – It Does Not Like the Text Book
11:00 – What is an Action Potential and What is the Physiology Behind it?
24:30 –How Neurons Communicate 
29:35 - The Story of Camillo Golgi and Santiago Ramón Cajal 
34:35 – Chemical Signals of Action Potentials 
43:50 – Mitochondria, ATP and Sodium Potassium Pumps
47:00 – Conceptualizing it All
54:10 – Fatigue, ATP and mTBI
59:00 – Calcium’s Role
01:08:54 – Favourite Thing About Professor Ellison’s Work

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=-z_DSs4AAAAJ&hl=en
Splitting: Inside Story on Headaches (https://www.amazon.com.au/Splitting-Inside-Headaches-Amanda-Ellison/dp/1472971396) 
Getting Your Head Around The Brain: https://www.amazon.com.au/Getting-your-head-around-brain-ebook/dp/B09HZ9FVSR?ref_=ast_author_dp
 

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Social media:
Twitter: @first concussion
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Instagram: Headfirst_ Concussion  
Email: [email protected]