Concussion Research Program | UofT - Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

The University of Toronto (Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education) was one of the first – initiated in 1999 - comprehensive programs in the country dedicated to concussions among student athletes. By drawing on the resources and research excellence at the University of Toronto as well as the rich athletic tradition, our program is made up of researchers and clinicians with a unique expertise on concussion and athletics.

The KPE Faculty Council endorsed the establishment of The Centre for Sport-Related Concussion Research, Innovation and Knowledge as a new Extra-Departmental Unit (Level D) on April 9, 2021, with the appointment of Associate Professor Michael Hutchison as director.

Read the CSRCR EDU proposal

We have three distinct components working in conjunction with each other to be the leaders in concussion prevention, management, and education.

Our research environment allows us to identify potential prevention strategies as well as advance our understanding of concussion to help us better treat and manage the injury.

We have a number of education initiatives for students, athletes, parents, coaches, healthcare providers, and administrators to help prevent, recognize, and manage concussions. The David L. MacIntosh Sport Medicine Clinic provides access and care from the leaders in sport medicine, with specific expertise of concussion.

Current Projects

Stress Markers in Concussed Athletes

Concussion in Dancers

Guidelines for return to synchronized swimming

Underreporting of concussion injuries

Concussion and support

Risk Factors

Emotional Factors and Sport Concussion

Psychological Sequelae of Injury

Scientific Team

Faculty

Lynda Mainwaring, Doug Richards, Michael Hutchison

Graduate Students

Laura McClemont, MSc., PhD candidate

Ryan MacDonald, MSc. candidate

Sandhya Mylabathula, MSc., PhD candidate

Kaleigh Ferdinand Pennock, MSc., PhD candidate

Graham Tebbit, MSc candidate

Ben Alavie, MSc candidate

Braeden McKenzie, MSc candidate

Former students

Jonathan Chan, MSc.

Arrani Senthinathan, MSc.

Michael Hutchison, Ph.D.

Nick Snow, MSc.

Christine Provvidenza, MSc.

Elizabeth Vittulo, PhD.

Enid Headley, MSc.

Elizabeth Byrne, MSc.

Vicki Kristman, PhD.

Selected Publications

Publications

Senthinathan, A., Mainwaring, L., Hutchison, M. (2016 in press). Heart rate variability of athletes across concussion recovery milestones: A Preliminary Study. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine 00:1–8.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27379659

Hutchison, M., Mainwaring, L., Senthinathan, A., Churchill, N., Thomas, S., Richards, D. (In press). Psychological and physiological markers of stress in concussed athletes across recovery milestones. Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27603761

Mainwaring, L. (2012). The Art and Science of Sport Concussion Management: Introduction to the Issue Two of the Special Series on Sports Concussion: 6(4), 307-308.

Mainwaring, L., Comper, P., Hutchison, M., & Richards, D., (2012). Lessons Learned from Baseline and Post-Concussion Assessment Research. Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology, 6(4). 309-335.

Hutchison, M., Comper, P., Mainwaring, L. & Richards, D. (2012). Normative Data in a Sample of University Athletes using ANAM tests. Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology. 6(4), 336-350.

Hutchison, M., Mainwaring, L., Comper, P., Richards, D., & Bisschop, S. (2009). Differential emotional responses of varsity athletes to concussion and musculoskeletal injuries. Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine, 19(1)13-19.

Kristman, V.L., Kreigher, N., Tator, C., Richards, D., Mainwaring, L., Jaglal, S., Tomlinson, G., Comper, P. (2008)Does the apolipoprotein ε4 allele predispose varsity athletes to concussion? A prospective cohort study. Clincial Journal of Sports Medicine, 18(4), pp.322-328.,

Mainwaring, L., Bisschop, S.M., Comper, P., Green, R., Richards, D., Antoniazzi, M., & Kristman, V., Provvidenza, C. (2004). Emotional Reaction of Varsity Athletes to Sports-Related Concussion. Journal of Exercise and Sport Psychology, 26 (2), 119-135.

Kimmerle, M., Mainwaring, L., Borenstein, M. (2003). The Functional Repetoire of the Hand and its Application to Hand Assessment. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy 57 (5), 489-498. Co-principal author

Book Chapters

Mainwaring, L. (in Press). Psychological Factors and Sport Related Concussion. Ch. 27. In R. Echemendia and G.L. Iverson. The Oxford Handbook of Sport-Related Concussion. New York: Oxford University Press.

Mainwaring, L. (2011). Short – Term and Extended Emotional Correlates of Concussion. In F. Webbe (ed.) Handbook of Sport Concussion. Springer.

Mainwaring, L. (2010) Ch. 8: Ending Therapeutic relationships. Invited chapter. In S. Hanrahhan & M. B. Anderson (Eds.) Handbook of Applied Sport Psychology. Oxon: Routledge.

Presentations

Mainwaring, L. (2015). Keynote Address: Managing Concussions for Dancers and Performing Artists. Performing Arts Medicine Association Annual Meeting, Snow Mass, CO., July 9- 12.

Mainwaring, L. (2015). Invited Workshop: Emotional Response to Concussion and Return to Activity Guidelines for Dancers and Performing Artists. Performing Arts Medicine Association, Snow Mass, CO., July 9- 12.

Mainwaring, L. (2015). Invited Presentation: Hot Topics: Psychological Perspective. In Hot Topics in our Field. Colloquium on Clincal Care of Dancers. Special Interest Groups Preconference Day. International Association for Dance Medicine and Science. Oct 8.

Mainwaring, L. (2013). Psychosocial Factors and Sport Concussion. Invited talk to Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Western Ontario. February 12, 2013.

Mainwaring, L. (2012). Keynote Address: Effecting change with, within, without and through the culture of ballet: Psychological perspectives on why and how. Ballet Why and How? Stockholm Sweden, September, 2012.

Mainwaring, L. (2009) SportConcussion and Return-to-Play: Lessons Learned from Research-Based Management. College of Kinesiology, Sport Concussion Seminar, University of Saskatchewan, Sept. 11, 2009.

Mainwaring, L. (2009). Psychological Recovery from Dance Injury. Keynote Address. Dance Psychology Conference. Sport and Exercise Science and Psychology Conference. University of Birmingham, May 2009.