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.
Latest Episodes
Dr. Allyssa Memmini, PhD, LAT, ATC, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health, Exercise and Sports Sciences at the University of New Mexico and an internationally recognised researcher in concussion management. Her work has focused on improving recovery pathways for individuals with concussion, particularly university students and performing artists—groups that have historically lacked evidence-based return-to-activity guidelines. During her doctoral studies at the University of Michigan Concussion Center, she developed one of the first structured Return-to-Learn protocols specifically designed for post-secondary students, helping universities better support students' safe return to academic participation following concussion.
01:22 – Journey into Athletic Training and Concussion Research
04:40 - What is a concussion?
6:45 - Difficulties in assessing and diagnosing concussion in collegiate/ university athletes
07:50 – Barriers & Difficulties in Assessing Students and Athletes for Concussion
12:10 - What’s the Return-to-Learn Process Look Like
21:20 – Concussion in Preforming Arts
24:50 – Concussion in Sport
29:40 – Return-to-Learn in Preforming Arts
33:20 – Favourite Moments in Sport/ Work
35:45 – Where to Find and Support Dr Memmini
Assistant Professor Allyssa Memmini
https://coehs.unm.edu/faculty-staff/profiles/memmini-allyssa.html
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=m1a6H_QAAAAJ&hl=en
Twitter: @first concussion
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Email: headfirstconcussion@gmail.com
Dr. John J. Leddy is a primary care sports medicine physician with UBMD Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine and Professor of Clinical Orthopaedics at the University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. He serves as the Medical Director of the University at Buffalo Concussion Management Clinic, where he has played a leading role in advancing the clinical assessment and management of concussion. In collaboration with Dr. Barry Willer, Dr. Leddy co-developed the Buffalo Concussion Treadmill Test (BCTT), a validated exercise tolerance assessment that has become an internationally recognised tool for guiding safe, individualised return-to-activity protocols following concussion. His work has significantly influenced contemporary concussion rehabilitation by challenging the traditional recommendation of prolonged rest and supporting the use of carefully prescribed sub-symptom threshold aerobic exercise as an evidence-based treatment strategy.
Dr. Leddy's contributions to sports medicine and concussion research have been recognised through numerous prestigious awards, including the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine's Best Overall Research Award and the 2022 Stockton Kimball Award for Outstanding Scientific Achievement and Service from the University at Buffalo. He has authored more than 200 peer-reviewed publications, with his research receiving over 20,000 citations, reflecting his substantial impact on the scientific understanding and clinical management of concussion worldwide. His body of work continues to inform international clinical guidelines and best-practice approaches to concussion diagnosis, rehabilitation, and return-to-sport decision-making.
01:30 - Journey into Medicine, Concussion research and Introduction to Buffalo Concussion Treadmill Test
11:20 – Shifting From ‘Cocooning to Exercise’ Induced Recovery
19:25 - Differences Between the Treadmill and Bike Test
25:30 – Completing Exertion Testing Without Heart Rate Monitor
30:25 – Full Return-to-Play
35:50 – ‘Myth Around Concussion/ Evolving Research’
40:20 – Supporting and Where to Find Professor John Leddy
Professor John Leddy
https://www.buffalo.edu/news/experts/john-leddy-faculty-expert-concussions.html
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/John-Leddy-3
Twitter: @first concussion
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Email: headfirstconcussion@gmail.com
Dr Bridie O'Donnell is a valedictorian graduate of the University of Queensland Medical School who paused her medical career to become one of Australia's most accomplished cyclists. A multiple-time Australian National Time Trial Champion, she represented Australia on the international stage for more than a decade, racing for the national team in Europe and competing at three UCI Road World Championships as well as the Commonwealth Games. In 2016, at the age of 41, she made cycling history by setting the UCI Women's Hour World Record, covering 46.882 kilometres at the Adelaide Super-Drome. Beyond competition, Dr O'Donnell has become one of Australia's most influential voices in sport—as a leading advocate for women in cycling and high-performance sport, a broadcasting pioneer who became the first woman to commentate the Tour de France for SBS, and the author of Life and Death: A Cycling Memoir. She has also served in senior leadership roles in sport, including as Head of Sport at the Victorian Institute of Sport and Chair of the independent review into Australian cycling.
01:30 – Journey into Medicine and Professional Cycling
04:30 – Mentality of Entering as Older Athlete
07:00 – Approaching Professionalism
10:10 – Reconciling Injury form Athlete vs Doctor Point of Views
16:30 – Functioning on Low Caloric Intake
18:40 – Tour de France, Current Cycling HIA Protocol’s, Addressing Cycling Injuries
27:40 – Course Surfaces and Selection,
32:30 – Power Imbalances and Women in Sports
39:45 – Dr O’Donnell UCI Record
42:30 - Favourite Moments From her Career
Dr Bridie O'Donnell
@bridie_od
Book: Life and Death: Bridie O'Donnell: a Cycling Memoir
Twitter: @first concussion
Facebook: Headfirst: A concussion podcast
Instagram: Headfirst_ Concussion
Email: headfirstconcussion@gmail.com
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?
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=1AS5w58AAAAJ&view_op=list_works&sortby=pubdate
Twitter: @first concussion
Facebook: Headfirst: A concussion podcast
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Email: headfirstconcussion@gmail.com
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
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Twitter: @first concussion
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Email: headfirstconcussion@gmail.com
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
Rugby Reload Podcast: http://www.rugbyreloaded.com
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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/
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
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
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Twitter: @first concussion
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Email: headfirstconcussion@gmail.com
Steven Broglio is a leading concussion researcher and Professor of Kinesiology, Neurology, and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at the University of Michigan, where he also directs the Michigan Concussion Centre. His research spans concussion prevention, assessment, treatment, and long-term outcomes in sport. Across his career, Dr Broglio has published more than 300 peer-reviewed papers, with his work cited over 30,000 times, and is co-principal investigator of the CARE Consortium — the largest prospective concussion study undertaken worldwide. His contributions to sports medicine and brain injury research have been recognised through multiple international awards and fellowships.
01:30 - Journey into Concussion Research
03:00 - What is a concussion and Repetitive Impacts
06:00 – Imaging and Biomarkers
10:30 - Head Injury Assessments and Concussion Diagnosis
15:30 – Management: Return-to-Play (RTP)
21:00 – Myths or Evolution of Research is Science?
24:10 – Return-to-Learn (RTL)
26:50 – How are Concussion Guidelines Formed
34:10 - How to Help and Support Dr Broglio’s Work
Professor Steven Broglio
https://www.kines.umich.edu/directory/steven-broglio
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=DE-SIlkAAAAJ&hl=en
https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-broglio
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*Details of this episode where correct at the time of recording and may have change
Welcome back to Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast. Today, we're thrilled to have the esteemed Dr. Nitin Sethi.
Dr. Sethi is a former boxing and UFC ringside neurologist and a board-certified neurologist specializing in epilepsy and clinical neurophysiology. Dr Sethi holds additional certifications from the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in epilepsy and sleep medicine, as well as from the American College of Sports Medicine and the Association of Ringside Physicians as a Certified Ringside Physician. In addition to his numerous publications and his book, Neurologist at Ringside, Dr. Sethi has received several notable appointments and awards, including: The Certificate of Congressional Recognition "Heroes Humanity Award" from U.S. Congresswoman Grace F. Napolitano, awarded on behalf of the World Boxing Council (WBC) for his service to communities in need. Recognition as a Leading Physician of the World and Top Neurologist in New York by The International Association of HealthCare Professionals in 2012. Appointment as Vice Chairman of the Sports Neurology Section of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) from 2022 to 2024. Serving as an Unaffiliated and Independent Neurotrauma Consultant for the NFL from 2013 to the present. Being a Ringside Panel Physician for the New York State Athletic Commission since 2012.
00:30 - About Dr Nitin Sethi
05:00 - What Is a Concussion?
07:05 - Pre and Post-Fight Assessments
12:45 – Role of Ringside Physician
16:40 – Mentality of the Sport
18:10 – Difficult in Subjectivity of Concussion and Sporting Culture
24:20 - How Too Change the Sporting Culture
29:00- UFC 244 Welterweight Main Card Jorge Masvidal vs Nate Diaz and the Fallout
41:15 - Positives of Combat Sports
Book: Neurologist at Ringside – Amazon.com
Journal Articles
- To be or not to be ringside? Ethical issues pertaining to combat sports medicine: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00913847.2022.2043129
- Neuroimaging in professional combat sports: consensus statement from the association of ringside physicians: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00913847.2022.2083922
- Care of The Older Fighter: Position Statement of the Association of Ringside Physicians: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00913847.2024.2344227
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