In the midst of the Rugby World Cup, concussions caused by violent impacts have become a public health issue. Repeatedly, they can have serious repercussions on the daily brain and the ability of rugby players to anticipate actions to be taken during a match. A treatment developed by two French doctors seems very promising.
Philippe Sella is one of the most famous rugby players. Now retired, he was selected more than 100 times for the French team during his career. Concussions linked to impacts during matches, he knows what they are. “ The biggest shock was during my first international match. There, I don’t remember anything. That is to say, I don’t even remember what I did the morning of the meeting. The game was at 3 p.m., and I woke up at 10 p.m. »
Sometimes concussions cause only a few moments of distress for players. For a long time, they were undervalued, with players even preferring not to talk about them so as not to leave the match. “I never asked to go out, it’s this idea of being tough on the field. Today, there is this side of more precise observation, so that if there is the slightest doubt about a player, he comes out. »
Because the risk of continuing to play with a concussion is to be less attentive, less reactive, multiply the shocks and therefore the lesions in the brain. “ If there is a headache, if there is fatigue, or attentional problems, it is absolutely necessary to stop the player until there is total recovery, before restarting the resumption of the game in stages. physical activity, if everything went well », explains Jean-François Chermann, neurologist and sports specialist.
A technology developed by two French people
With Doctor Philippe Malafosse, they have implemented a treatment so that concussed players recover faster and more effectively. A study has just confirmed the benefits of this new treatment. “ This is a helmet that is put on the skull with modules that deliver an infrared laser and near-infrared light, and another study that had several objectives, the first of which was to show that it does not There was no danger, no side effects, no intolerance. We demonstrated that out of the 50 players who had 100 photobiomodulation sessions, we had no side effects, therefore perfect tolerance. The most egregious case we had was someone who was so affected from a concussion point of view that he came accompanied to the consultation, and he was able to leave by car alone. », specifies Philippe Malafosse.
This technology developed by the French company RegenLife also makes it possible to avoid the side effects of concussions in the long term. “ If we treat them quickly, they can recover better and we can therefore avoid the cumulative effect of concussions, to ultimately avoid chronic concussions and all the neurodegenerative syndromes that we hear about, which occur 15 to 20 years after the end of the concussion. career » adds Philippe Malafosse.
A promising treatment which is not only aimed at rugby itself, but at all athletes frequently confronted with shocks, such as footballers or even handball players.
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