Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast

Dr Reece Granger BSc (Hons), BChiro
  • 5.0 (3)
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Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast, discusses all things concussion. From the physiology, effects, treatment and rehabilitation process. All with the aim of providing the tools and education to help patients. DISCLAIMER: All information discussed and provided is not a substitute for professional medical advice of doctors or healthcare practitioners. If a listener believes they are suffering from a similar injury to one discussed by the author, please seek medical care of your doctor or physician and do not rely on the author's advice.

  1. 11 HRS AGO

    Concussion, Autonomy and Care Giver Burden of Neurodegenerative Disease with Dr Deana Simonetto and Dr Daniel Sailofsky

    Send a text Dr. Deana Simonetto is a sociologist and Assistant Professor of History and Sociology at UBC Okanagan. Her research examines crime and deviance, gender, families, and sport, with a focus on how women navigate public identities while married to professional athletes.  Dr. Daniel Sailofsky is an Assistant Professor in Kinesiology & Physical Education at the University of Toronto. A sociologist with a background in law and sport management, his work explores violence, gender, social harm, and the political economy of sport. He is the author of Playing Through Pain: The Violent Consequences of Capitalist Sport.     01:40 - How Dr Simonetto Become Involved in Concussion, Sociology of Sport & gender 04:10 - How Dr Sailofsky Become Involved in Concussion, Sociology of Sport & gender 09:55 – What is a Concussion/ CTE (Dr Simonetto) 13:50 - What is a Concussion/ CTE (Dr Sailofsky) 17:20 – Athlete’s as a Commodity, Fans as the Consumer and Sporting Work Place Injuries 21:15 – Athlete’s Identity and Cognitive Decline Post Career 29:00 – Impact of Neurodegenerative Disease 32:15 – Autonomy and Informed Consent of One’s Decisions 36:45 - Care Giver Burden of Neurodegenerative Disease and Inter Personal Violence 46:00 – The CTE Defence and Removal of Blame For Inter Personal Violence 50:15 – Relationship Breakdowns  Subscribe, review and share for new episodes which will drop weekly  Social media: Twitter: @first concussion Facebook: Headfirst: A concussion podcast Instagram: Headfirst_ Concussion   Email: headfirstconcussion@gmail.com

    1h 3m

  2. 10 FEB

    Antonio Lo Lacono’s Legacy, Concussion Advocacy and Happy Lids with Wendy Smith

    Send a text Wendy Smith is a dedicated advocate for concussion awareness, athlete wellbeing, and brain safety in sport. Following the tragic loss of her son, Antonio Lo Lacono, in 2023 after a head injury on the sporting field, Wendy transformed profound heartbreak into purpose. She is the driving force behind Happy Lid Hats, with proceeds supporting the Concussion Legacy Foundation and vital brain health research. We are deeply grateful to Wendy for sharing her story and for her unwavering commitment to making sport safer for all.   02:40 - Happy Lids Mission 03:40 – Incident on the Football Field 06:25 – Air Lifted for the Football Field  10:00 – Explanation in the Hospital 12:04 - Organ Donation and Antonio Saving the Lives of Others 17:00 – Second Impact Syndrome 19:33 - Education and Meaningful Culture 23:20 – Concussion Awareness 26:11 – Removing Stigma of Concussion & Happy Lid   Happy Lids https://www.happylids.com.au Instagram: @happy_lids   Subscribe, review and share for new episodes which will drop weekly  Social media: Twitter: @first concussion Facebook: Headfirst: A concussion podcast Instagram: Headfirst_ Concussion   Email: headfirstconcussion@gmail.com

    30 min

  3. 3 FEB

    NFL and Light Helmets with CEO Nicholas Esayian and Engineer Kodiak Brush

    Send us a text Nick is a seasoned entrepreneur with over 20 years of success founding and leading innovative marketing and technology companies, with background spaning direct-to-consumer marketing, advanced media analytics, and high-performance sports, bringing a unique blend of business leadership and competitive insight to Light Helmets. Kodiak is Engineering & Production Manager at Light Helmets, brings more than a decade of experience across engineering, design, manufacturing, and supply chain management. Kodiak leads product development and quality control with a focus on athlete safety and performance. 01:00 - Nicks Journey to CEO of Light Helmets & How Kodiak Got into Engineering and Helmets  06:30 - Light Helmets and Practical Application 11:10 – Helmet Design, Testing and the ‘Mirror Test’ 14:00 – What Are Helmets Trying to Achieve? 19:15 – How Do You Approach Teams Getting Helmets into Circulation? 25:15 – Keeping Up to Date with Research 27:30 – Refurbishment of Helmets 34:00 – Cost Burden and Access to Equipment 38:00 – What Are the NFL Requirements for Helmets? 44:35 - What Should Athletes Look for in A Helmets & Where Can People Find Light helmets? Light Helmets: https://lighthelmets.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoouVTWUPkX0QXH2OWKSOHj9vtUSTcVMJc9jPJ2XGJCxPjmycobV Instagram: lighthelmets Subscribe, review and share for new episodes which will drop weekly  Social media: Twitter: @first concussion Facebook: Headfirst: A concussion podcast Instagram: Headfirst_ Concussion   Email: headfirstconcussion@gmail.com

    49 min

  4. 27 JAN

    Concussion and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) with Dr Jessica Povall

    Send us a text Dr Povall, a Sydney-based physiotherapist with over 15 years of experience in neurological health and rehabilitation, holding a Doctor of Physiotherapy from Boston Universityfocusing in the recovery of both acute and persistent concussion symptoms. Dr Provall specialises in functional rehabilitation for conditions including concussion, balance and dizziness disorders, neck pain, and autonomic nervous system dysfunction. 01:00 - Journey into Physiotherapy and Concussion 02:45 - What is a concussion 03:50 - What is Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome 08:00 – Signs and Symptoms of ‘POTS’ 10:40 – Diagnosis 14:25 – Assessment Process 16:35 – Why is Vison Important? 18:00 – Rehabilitation Process (Return-to-Learn/Work/Play) 24:40 – Addressing Psychosocial Components 27:35 – Tolerance Nudging During Rehabilitation 30:00 – Treatments Tools Along Side Exercise Therapy 33:00 – Advice/ Misconceptions Around Concussion 35:00 – Assessing Difference Systems  37:15 - Where to Find Dr Provall     The Brain Hub: https://brainhub.com.au/drjessicapovall/ Dr Jessica Povall: https://www.drjessicapovallphysio.com Instagram: dr.Jessica.Povall Social media: Twitter: @first concussion Facebook: Headfirst: A concussion podcast Instagram: Headfirst_ Concussion   Email: headfirstconcussion@gmail.com

    39 min

  5. 20 JAN

    The Doctor Who Fooled the World: Science, Deception, and the War on Vaccines with Brian Deer

    Send us a text In this episode, we’re joined by acclaimed investigative journalist Brian Deer, one of the most influential figures in modern medical reporting. A two-time British Press Awards winner and Honorary Doctor of Letters recipient from York St John University, Brian is best known for his rigorous investigations into public health, drug safety, and medical ethics. His work for The Sunday Times exposed major failures in pharmaceutical oversight and unethical medical practices, including the investigation that dismantled the fraudulent research behind the claim that the MMR vaccine causes autism. That reporting culminated in his award-winning book, The Doctor Who Fooled the World, a detailed examination of how a single false study triggered a global health crisis and lasting damage to public trust. Today’s conversation explores that story and its continuing impact.   01: 55 - Brian’s Journey into investigative Journalism  03:00 - The Vaccine Story  06:50 – What Made Brian Look into The MMR Vaccination and Andrew Wakefield? 10:00 – Turning Points in the Investigation  17:25 – How Did the Paper/ Study Get Published 20:00 – Push Back, Lawsuits and Personal Attacks 34:26 – Has the Public Completely Lost Trust in Vaccinations After Covid-19 38:55 – Was it Coincidence Book Released During Covid-19?    Website: https://briandeer.com Twitter/X: @deerbrian

    42 min

  6. 13 JAN

    History of the NFL Forward Pass and 'The Big Scrum – How Teddy Roosevelt Saved Football' with Professor John J. Miller

    Send us a text Professor John J. Miller is the director of the Dow Program in American Journalism at Hillsdale College and one of the nation’s most respected literary journalists. A regular contributor to The Wall Street Journal, he previously spent many years as a writer and podcaster for National Review. Miller is also the founder and executive director of the Student Free Press Association, the non-profit organization behind The College Fix, which supports and promotes collegiate journalism. The Chronicle of Higher Education has described him as “one of the best literary journalists in the country,” a reputation reflected in his body of work. He is the author of several books, including The Big Scrum: How Teddy Roosevelt Saved Football, which explores the surprising truths behind presidential intervention that helped shape the sport’s modern identity and the topic of today discussion.      01:20 – Journey into Journalism and What Inspired Writing: The Big Scrum 06:00 - Walter Camp and Theodore Roosevelt History with Football  10:30 – Early Violence and Brutality of Football & Charles Elliot’s Dislike for Football 17:40 – The Introduction of the Forward Pass 24:00 – Fights, Yale vs Harvard and the Flying Wedge 27:00 – Moments in Researching the Big Scrum 32:40 – Walter Camps Wife and Football 34:10 – Where You Can Find and Support Professor Miller Twitter/x: @heymiller https://www.heymiller.com/

    38 min

  7. 6 JAN

    Academic Integrity and Fraudulent Research with Dr Elisabeth Bik

    Send us a text Welcome back to HeadFirst: A Concussion Podcast.  Today we have the honour and privilege of welcoming Dr Elisabeth Bik. Trained originally as a microbiologist, Dr Elisabeth Bik has become a global authority on research ethics and scientific credibility. She is best known for her meticulous investigations into altered images and questionable data practices in academic publishing. Her work has flagged potential problems in thousands of research papers and has played a role in more than a thousand formal retractions tied to compromised scientific standards. Beyond her investigative impact, Dr Bik’s own research has been widely cited, and her efforts to safeguard the integrity of science have been recognised with several prestigious international honours. Now working independently, she advises on research integrity while continuing to advocate for transparency and ethical responsibility across the scientific world.   01:59 – Dr Elisabeth Bik Journey into Microbiology and Plagiarism 04:44 – Why is Scientific Integrity Important and Why Should We Care? 07:44 – Reasons People Fabricate Result 10:54 – Choosing Research to Sleuth and Common Fabrications 15:44 – Process When Investigating Paper’s 18:53 – Biggest Case Dr Bik Has Worked on and Personal Attacks / Push Back 26:14 – Collateral Damage of Fabricated Research 29:49 – What Questions to ask About ‘Catchy’ Headline’s? 33:14 – How We Can Support and Help Dr Bik’s Work   Dr Elisabeth Bik X/Twitter: @MicrobiomDigest Patreon.com/elisabethbik Website: https://scienceintegritydigest.com/about/

    35 min

  8. 30/12/2025

    Best of 2025 Part 4: Concussion — Athletes Perspective and Experiences

    Send us a text In this special episode of Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast, we’re revisiting some of the most powerful, challenging, and eye-opening moments from our past conversations. If you’ve missed any of our critical discussions featuring athlete’s perspective and experiences with concussion, this episode brings the best of it all together.    Best of Episode 4: Athlete  02:20 - Andy Clarke - Episode 87: How Knock Differs from Other Sports  06:00 - Robbie O’Davis - Episode 106: Robbie’O Grand Final Dance 09:50 - Wally Lewis - Episode 73: Concussion Overtime + Awareness and Education 16:30 - Ian Roberts - Episode 63: Culture Over Time and Playing Experiences  22:00 - Hamish Brayshaw - Episode 78: The Open Letter to the AFL  24:10 - Will Schofield - Episode 79: Unrealistic Expectations of a Player 27:17 - Ian Greener - Episode 90: FA Guidelines and Old vs New Balls

    32 min
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Ratings & Reviews

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out of 5
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About

Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast, discusses all things concussion. From the physiology, effects, treatment and rehabilitation process. All with the aim of providing the tools and education to help patients. DISCLAIMER: All information discussed and provided is not a substitute for professional medical advice of doctors or healthcare practitioners. If a listener believes they are suffering from a similar injury to one discussed by the author, please seek medical care of your doctor or physician and do not rely on the author's advice.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr Reece Granger BSc (Hons), BChiro
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    117
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast
  • Show Website
    Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast