Anthony G. Alessi, MD

Previously, the football sideline was the sole domain of orthopedic surgeons and athletic trainers. Neurologists are now part of a growing team of physicians with an interest in treating athletes.

Sports neurology is a relatively new subspecialty within the field of neurology. It specifically addresses the neurologic aspects of sports and sports-related injuries. Many major professional and amateur sports programs have found neurologists to be crucial in determining when an athlete can return to play after an injury.

Although recently popularized by the need for thorough evaluation of the brain after concussion, neurologists have been involved with sports teams for many years.

Four years ago, the American Academy of Neurology established the Sports Neurology Section. This was the first effort to organize neurologists who were working in sports and those who wished to become involved. The success of this effort has been astounding. There are now over 500 participating neurologists who work in every area of sports. Neurologists are now on sidelines, courtside, and ringside. Many are also pursuing research interests that pertain to sports and human performance.

Concussion and traumatic brain injury have dominated the press, but assessment and treatment of spinal and peripheral nerve injuries make up a significant part of sports neurology.

Physical activity is an essential human function. That need does not stop due to the onset of a neurologic condition. Today there are athletes who suffer from neurologic conditions, including multiple sclerosis, migraine, seizures, and stroke, competing at the highest level of their sports.

Managing the care of these athletes requires knowledge of their particular sport as well as what medications may limit the athlete’s performance. Many commonly used medications for these conditions will impact an athlete’s ability to compete. Alternative regimens must be devised. One example is use of an NSAID prior to competition to avoid migraine.

Sports neurology fellowship programs are now available. These programs can incorporate neurophysiology, pain management, and basic research as part of the curriculum. Surprisingly, many diagnostic and therapeutic skills established during residency are easily transferred to the sports setting.

Neurologists wishing to become involved will find many sports teams very welcoming. Input from a neurologist can often resolve diagnostic confusion and help direct the rehabilitation process.

The demand for neurologists who enjoy working with athletes will continue to grow as sports participation rises.

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The Sports Neurologist: A Welcome Addition to the Sideline

The “Ice Bucket Challenge” has become a national phenomenon thanks to tremendous support from social media. One question about this and other social media fund raising efforts is the real impact of these campaigns on the nonprofit organizations they support.

The ice bucket challenge was first created by the friends and family of Peter Frates, a former Boston College baseball player diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The challenge requires designated people to have buckets of ice water dumped over their heads and make a $15 donation to the ALS Association. If the challenge is refused, a $100 donation must be made.

Although still underway, this effort has raised over $53 million. In addition, it has raised awareness of this deadly condition.

ALS is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. This devastating disease that strikes over 5,000 Americans each year is a nightmare for our patients and has long frustrated neurologists. We watch as it continues to end its victims’ lives, between 2 and 5 years after the diagnosis is confirmed. This trajectory, unfortunately, is no different from when Lou Gehrig was diagnosed more than 7 decades ago. The money raised by the Ice Bucket Challenge is sorely needed to advance current research efforts toward a cure.

Neuromuscular specialists, and I am one, have had the honor of supporting many great patients from the time they were first diagnosed through their valiant battle and eventual passing. We also feel the heartache of being unable to do more.

I have not personally been challenged and I am uncertain as to how I would respond. I can confidently say that being doused with ice water is much easier than the challenge faced by family members, friends and health care professionals who support these patients every day.

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has captured the fun-loving kid in Americans of all ages. But for neurologists who treat persons with ALS there is far more challenge than fun. 

A Neurologist’s Challenge: More Than a Bucket of Ice

The media-print, radio, television-can be a valuable tool for a neurology practice. Access to the media often provides a way of marketing a new service or level of expertise within a practice

When a healthcare practitioner serves as a source of information for the media it creates the perception of an honest, authoritative spokesperson. It gives a physician instant credibility. It is also a much better way to advertise your services than purchasing an ad. 

Neurologists are particularly sought out by various media outlets to explain complex conditions involving the brain and peripheral nervous system. Many neurologic illnesses can result in severe disability, change in mentation, or death, all outcomes that are particularly important to the public.

Media contacts can best be established by partnering with a hospital or professional organization that has a public relations department. Being available to be interviewed on short notice is valuable to both a journalist working on a deadline and to organizations (eg, hospitals, local chapters of professional organizations) looking for someone to represent them in the media. Professional societies like the American Academy of Neurology offer media training sessions.

To develop the media relations part of a marketing strategy, a neurologist should understand the importance of creating a concise, understandable message on the topic of interest to the press. This is often referred to as the “sound bite.”

Prior to an interview or when preparing a written communication, decide on three to five main points to develop that you want your audience to remember afterward and make sure you work them into the conversation or your written material. Writing them on an index card is helpful.

Here are some useful tips when preparing for a radio or television interview:

Anticipate tough questions, practice the answers. Make sure you get your points into the discussion.

Familiarize yourself with the interviewer’s style. In the case of a panel discussion, learn about the other panelists. Watch or listen to the program in advance.

For the best clarity use a landline for telephone interviews that are being recorded.

Keep the message simple and direct by using terms that the public will understand.

 If you deliver your message carefully and articulately, your work with the press can have a very positive impact on a neurology practice.

Neurologists are often tapped by the media to explain complex conditions to a nonphysician audience. As part of a marketing strategy, offering your expertise to local media outlets helps them report accurately and burnishes your reputation. 

Anthony G. Alessi, MD

Articles

The Sports Neurologist: A Welcome Addition to the Sideline

A Neurologist’s Challenge: More Than a Bucket of Ice

What Can the Media do for Your Practice?

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