Send a text

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

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

Send a text

**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

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

Send a text

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

Social media:

Twitter: @first concussion

Facebook: Headfirst: A concussion podcast

Instagram: Headfirst_ Concussion

Send a text

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

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

Send a text

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

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

Send a text

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: headfirstconcussion@gmail.com

Send a text

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: headfirstconcussion@gmail.com

Send a text

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: headfirstconcussion@gmail.com