A Timely Reminder To Take Concussion Seriously

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We’ve already seen Tahnee Seagrave withdraw from the Fort William World Cup this weekend due to concussion, and we’re hearing rumours that perhaps there’ll be at least one more rider on the current start list who will not be riding. Myriam Nicole has also posted that she’s only just back to riding at intensity due to concussion after Lourdes. Riding at the pace and technicality the pros do, knocks to the head are almost inevitable, and awareness that you shouldn’t just get back out there and ride seems to be growing.

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A post shared by Tahnée Seagrave (@tahneeseagrave)

It’s been a while since I logged on here… I won’t be racing the World Cup this weekend 😔 After having Covid I had a huge crash 3 weeks ago and suffered a concussion and I won’t be taking any risks when it comes to the 🧠

I feel it’s important to share that my main symptom wasn’t one I was aware of until now. I developed severe anxiety and I couldn’t help but notice this has been simmering for a while and the concussion was what made it boil over.

There is so so so much I would like to say about this topic and what I have been through in the past few months because it’s such a taboo subject, but I can’t find the words just yet so that will have to be another day…

Giving myself the space to heal right now and hopefully will be back sooner rather than later. Much love for now. X 🧠💞

(Ps. I want meant to be launching my @foxmtb Collab this weekend but that will be postponed until further notice. Will still let you know when it will be available online and in stores🤍🤍)

Tahnee Seagrave
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A post shared by Myriam Nicole (@myriam_nicole)

It’s World Cup week! And I couldn’t be more excited about flying to Scotland tomorrow.
To cut a long story short, it’s been a real test since Lourdes as I’ve struggled with post concussion symptoms and to put it lightly, it’s been a nightmare of headaches & other symptom day & night that got stronger with the smallest exertion in the world. I know a lot about muscles & bones 🦶🏼 but damn brain injuries are scary!

Take care of your 🧠 and even if symptoms don’t feel that bad go & get checked!
After doing scan after scan and seeing loads of different professionals (thanks everyone!), I’m now back to hitting intensity safely!

Myriam Nicole

We understand that Myriam’s symptoms come after her crash in practice at Lourdes, yet she was still allowed to race – which is perhaps a sign that there are still lessons to be learnt, even at elite level racing. We’re glad she’s recovered and hope that Fort William passes without incident – the cumulative effects of brain injuries present a significant risk to long term health.

In case you’re wondering what all the fuss is about, we’ve rounded up some reading for you. TL:DR? Here are a few key points:

  • By the time you (or maybe those around you) become aware that you’ve got long term damage, it’s probably too late to undo it. Observing concussion protocols in the immediate aftermath of any crash is key.
  • You don’t have to trash your helmet, knock yourself out or see stars to have had an impact worth worrying about. Take the down time your brain needs to recover.
  • If you do take a hit, seek medical advice. Avoid screens and a riding until you’re given the all clear.

Why you should pay attention to concussions and knocks to the head…

Some perspectives from athletes…

Some tech talk for you…

Author Profile Picture
Hannah Dobson

Managing Editor

I came to Singletrack having decided there must be more to life than meetings. I like all bikes, but especially unusual ones. More than bikes, I like what bikes do. I think that they link people and places; that cycling creates a connection between us and our environment; bikes create communities; deliver freedom; bring joy; and improve fitness. They're environmentally friendly and create friendly environments. I try to write about all these things in the hope that others might discover the joy of bikes too.

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Viewing 17 posts - 1 through 17 (of 17 total)
  • A Timely Reminder To Take Concussion Seriously
  • Stainypants
    Full Member

    I had a bad crash last year and was unconscious for several minutes. I was rushed to the trauma unit at Salford and my immediate emergency care was fantastic.

    However I wasn’t given any information around the impact that the concussion would have on me in the coming weeks and months.

    As I was working from home I went straight back to work despite having a fractured shoulder. I never gave my head time to heal and after a month I was in a pretty bad way and no way myself. I’m lucky I could call on my private healthcare and ended seeing someone at the Priory it was clear I was suffering from post concussion syndrome. It took at least 3-4 months for me to anywhere feeling normal. If I’d just rested for those first few weeks I reckon I’d have recovered so much faster.

    wheelsandwords
    Free Member

    Thank you for writing about this, Hannah! This is such an important topic. I’ve taken some questionable decisions after crashes that resulted in concussion in the past and still feel the repercussions of those till this day. Brain injuries suck, but what sucks even more is when people don’t take them seriously and there isn’t much awareness about the topic!

    somafunk
    Full Member

    Wish this had been more known about years ago as I raced motocross from age 8 through to 19 with numerous concussions/knocked out yet as long as you could stand you were back in the race, then yet more concussions/knocked out throughout the 90’s and beyond as occasional rally navigation for a mate along with the multitude of mtb crashes. Last mri scan in 2020 showed massive lesions and multiple areas of dead tissue in my brain, perhaps that’s what brought on my ms to eventually end up as spms.

    tomcrow99
    Full Member

    Fullest sympathy and support for the decisions these girls are making. Not feeling pressured into racing.
    Like Staininypants above I had a big knock to the head in December 2021 with a 20min KO. Had a full raft of PCS symptoms right through till March, I started back to work after Christmas, which in retrospect was probably a bit early as some decisions/work was questionable at best.
    I was enrolled in an online study which tracked symptoms and feelings but beyond that had no medical intervention. Back to baseline now thankfully.

    Yak
    Full Member

    I am on week 7 now following a crash and concussion and still not right. Any sudden exertion brings the concussion symptoms back. Very frustrating. I have been seen twice in by the drs that time and just need to take things easy until I am right again. GP was ok with light aerobic riding, but I won’t touch the trail bike until I am 100% again.

    tomcrow99
    Full Member

    Have a look into finding a “Vestibular” Physiotherapist.

    Is a really good listen.

    beej
    Full Member

    I was going to post that same Cycling Podcast link – definitely worth a listen.

    a11y
    Full Member

    And that’s another DHer sitting out of Fort William this weekend due to concussion: Finn Iles.

    Apologies for the PB link but couldn’t find an alternative source: https://www.pinkbike.com/news/finn-iles-decides-to-miss-fort-william-and-undergo-testing-following-a-concussion.html

    stwhannah
    Full Member

    Dammit! You go on the school run and the news I thought was coming is released!
    Didn’t want to name Finn publicly until it was official, but I’d heard this was the case:

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CdvnFibtmUB/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    rexated
    Free Member

    Great that this is being highlighted again. It would be even better if sports media, teams and athletes could call ‘concussion’ by the proper term = mild traumatic brain injury.

    prettygreenparrot
    Full Member

    Thanks Hannah. I’m looking into chronic traumatic brain injury just now and this has been a welcome, if disconcerting, shift from academic papers.

    rogerturner
    Full Member

    Thanks from me as well Hannah. I was hit by a car on New Year’s Eve. Knocked out for a bit, and my helmet was cracked through. I had lots of other injuries, so I only became aware of the concussion symptoms after I was out of hospital. I’m still not right – concentration is poor, I’m making some unusual errors at work, short temper and excessively tired, etc, etc. It’s reinforced the importance of looking after yourself after an injury, giving things time to heal and not pushing too hard. I’ll second the recommendation of checking out Lizzie Banks’ podcasts about her recovery from head injury last year.

    andydt82
    Full Member

    I still find it off that the doctors gave Myriam the all clear to race at Lourdes.

    Also, while the increasing awareness of concussion is good, it’s a shame there’s not a bigger push like there is in other sports (e.g. HEADCASE); thinking especially of Vincent Baestaens at the Cyclocross World Champs as a recent incident.

    wipperman95
    Free Member

    Agree, a failure of duty of care. And we see the same in MotoGP with riders ‘unfit’ racing. There was a recent example of a rider not remembering a practice/ qualifying crash, but still going out. Beggars belief…

    I also recall Kate Courtney crashing in the 2020 World Champs in Leogang, carrying on for a short while, then realising she wasn’t right and retiring…

    More needs to be done, and proper protocols.

    snotrag
    Full Member

    Sounds like Myriam is fired up for racing this weekend, but did have some serious issues – good bit of chat about consussion and recovery (using a Rugby physio!) here on Wyn TV:

    kimbers
    Full Member

    Its definitely something we should probably all take more seriously

    A massive OTB at the mega many years back probably should have had me in for a scan, took me months to recover, but I was young and daft then and mostly ignored it.

    And a few years back an OTB (without helmet) saw me off the bike for quite a while while I got back on the bike.

    who doest wear a helmet when popping to the shops

    twistedpencil
    Full Member

    The EWS did some work on this three years ago – worth a read.

    It’s something that needs to be taken out of the athletes hands, crash with head impact, sit out and get assessed to determine the length of time out.

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