During its first year of offering the free services to the community, The University of Tulsa’s Concussion Center has aided more than 50 clients of all ages seeking to manage their post-concussion recovery.
Housed in the Oxley College of Health & Natural Sciences, the Concussion Center is an interdisciplinary initiative offering services that include concussion education and rehabilitation, return-to-learn planning, return-to-physical-activity planning, cognitive rehabilitation, vestibular rehabilitation, audiological services, and concussion-related mental health management.
The center is the brainchild of Laura Wilson, associate professor of speech-language pathology, and Rachel Hildebrand, clinical associate professor of athletic training. Wilson and Hildebrand, both Ph.D.s, have collaborated on traumatic brain injury research and education since 2015. They realized that an on-campus center would provide an excellent synthesis for research and education, while also meeting community needs.
In April, the center sponsored the free Youth Sports Safety Festival at McCullough Park. Besides learning about fundamental safety practices, such as how to properly use equipment and the importance of protective gear, children engaged in various hands-on activities and games and received free bike helmets and other giveaways.
More than 40 volunteers and 10 community partners participated in the event. With their first year behind them, the center’s second year is setting up to be even better.
“We are so excited that the Concussion Center was able to expand in the 2024-25 academic year,” Hildebrand said. “This year we have five students from the master’s in speech-language pathology program and two clinical psychology doctoral students working with us. Additionally, we have 12 master of athletic training students rotating through the clinic, and we are in the process of establishing an opportunity to have doctor of nurse practitioner students involved as well.. We also have a number of students working on research projects that include speech-language pathology, athletic training, and undergraduate psychology.”
The center plans to do more community needs assessments on topics such as community and client educational opportunities in concussion education, driving safety post-concussion and concussion rehabilitation utilizing virtual reality. Policy work also may be a focus as the new center explores opportunities.
“The plans for the 2024-25 academic year will continue to focus on client care and student education, especially with the anticipated incorporation of nurse practitioners,” said Wilson. “Additionally, we look to begin conducting research focused on sound tolerance conditions post-concussion and policy implementation in Oklahoma secondary schools.”