Athlete Interview: Nathan Chang
In this interview, we talk to Nathan Chang, a recent victim of concussions. As we talk with Nathan, he opens up about his personal journey, shedding light on the physical and mental issues he overcame as he tries to return to peak performance.
How did you develop this injury? Was it instantaneous or did it develop over time?
“I sustained this injury on Monday, November 27th after track practice. After practice when I was collecting my things, I was hit in the back of the head by a soccer ball from boys soccer.”
What were your initial thoughts when you first had the injury?
“Initially, after the injury, I felt that my head was trapped in a fog. It was a constant feeling of headaches and slight dizziness, making it so that I had difficulty thinking. Overall, it was slightly disorienting as I didn't quite feel like myself. It's a tough feeling to explain as it is similar to being stuck in a state of shock.”
What were the procedures you had to go through? Were there concussion tests?
“With my concussion, because it wasn't too serious, luckily all I had to do was rest and sleep a bit more than usual. I was lucky in the sense that my symptoms were very mild and that I was for the most part able to maintain my typical workflow and habits. However, I did have to take more frequent breaks and limit my use of electronics. Furthermore, when I did use them, I had to significantly decrease the brightness. As far as tests to diagnose a concussion, I went through a SCAT2 test immediately after getting hit, which basically tested my short and long-term memory (Retro and anterograde amnesia) in conjunction with my present symptoms to see if I had a concussion. Besides this, I also went to the doctor’s office where I received a similar symptom check and other tests including a PEARL test (Pupils Equal And Reactive to Light). After all of this, I will have to complete a 5-day concussion protocol as designated by the CIF rules before I am allowed to resume full activity.”
In all the craziness, how was your mental health? How did you deal with it?
“Currently, I'm one week past the initial hit and I'm feeling significantly better. Given my mild symptoms at the start, I am not entirely surprised that I have felt back to baseline since Thursday. This is a relief to both me and my family as we were quite scared that the concussion would have a major impact on me. Thankfully, that is not the case.”
A concussion can be a scary thing, especially for an athlete. Luckily for Nathan Chang, it was cleared up quickly and he was able to make a full recovery. He is now back, participating in track, and plans to take on the challenge of pole vault.
