Jake Pates Gives Important Insights to Young Athletes About Concussion Management

In the span of his 15-year snowboarding career, Jake Pates has encountered a series of challenges, notably grappling with recurring concussions - some of which occurred before full recovery from previous head impacts. The 2019-2020 season saw Pates suffer yet another concussion at the Mammoth World Cup, exacerbating existing mental health issues stemming from accumulated head injuries. This setback led to the derailment of his 2020-2021 competitive season, rendering him unable to partake in events.

Following the Mammoth incident, Pates sought medical attention, but concealed his true condition to evade missing out on practice and the impending World Cup. Despite experiencing symptoms like throbbing headaches, dizziness, and compromised balance, he persisted in his endeavors. Recognizing the peril he faced due to vertigo and impaired cognitive faculties, he made the crucial decision to withdraw from the event, despite encountering resistance from his coach who perceived it as an attempt to evade challenging weather conditions.

Pates's insight into the dire consequences of repeated concussions motivated him to seek scientific validation for his condition. Providentially, prior to the season's commencement, he had undergone a baseline brain scan facilitated by a company specializing in portable EEG devices. Utilizing electroencephalography (EEG), a non-invasive brain imaging method, Pates gained an objective assessment of his brain's electrical activity. EEG, traditionally employed for diagnosing conditions such as epilepsy, seizures, and strokes, has recently found application in monitoring post-concussion syndrome (PCS). The increasing interest in EEG within medical circles offers hope for a more scientific approach to tracking concussion recovery.

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