Deciding not to race just days before the most important championship of the year was difficult for Doug Landau. However, after being tested at the Fairfax Family Practice Comprehensive Concussion Center he realized that he could suffer more harm if he crashed on his bike, tripped in the transition area or simply over-exerted himself at the USAT Duathlon National Championships this Saturday in Tucson, Arizona. The sports medicine specialists at the Concussion Center not only evaluated CT imaging studies, Emergency Room data and physical examination results, but also gave lawyer Landau a battery of memory, reaction time and other sensitive brain tests. “It was interesting to be the one taking the tests, not interpreting the data,” noted Landau, who is scheduled to follow up next week to make sure that the mental and physical rest are helping him recover from a concussion sustained Monday evening. It is now known that subsequent concussions before the brain is fully recovered can have devastating and permanent effects on cognition, memory, coordination, and other executive functions. So, just as he “walks the walk” by actually racing, trying cases and teaching, Landau decided not to race in this week’s national championships so as to completely recover from this loss of consciousness and concussion. He vows to race again when fully recovered !

If you or someone you care for has sustained a head trauma or may have had a concussion, even without a loss of consciousness, consider contacting the specialists at the Fairfax Family Practice Comprehensive Concussion Center, located near Fair Oaks Hospital, at 3650 Joseph Siewick Drive, Suite 400, Fairfax, Virginia 22033 (703-391-2020). Early detection and treatment of a brain injury can help prevent long-term deficits and unnecessary re-injury.