oulisWith fall sports—particularly fall contact sports—in full swing in the Mid-Atlantic region, we would like to share a few inspiring post-concussion recovery stories from the 2024 Summer Olympics. While we hope you and your loved ones never experience a traumatic brain injury (TBI), we hope that these concussion return-to-play journeys will enlighten you and our community. TBIs vary from athlete to athlete due to the unique circumstances of the injury and the nature of brain injuries, but every patient should know that treatment, therapies and care are available.
Helen Maroulis, Olympic Wrestler
Helen Maroulis went to Paris for her third Olympic competition, to wrestle in the 57 kg. weight class. She had previously won bronze at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo and won gold at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Maroulis was the first U.S. woman to win Olympic gold, the first to win two Olympic medals for the U.S. and the first to make three Olympic teams. Adding to her resume, Maroulis also won three gold medals in the 2015, 2017 and 2021 World Wrestling Championships, along with a gold in the 2012 Pan-American Games. The accomplished wrestler from Rockville, MD, had eyes on becoming the most medaled female U.S. Olympic wrestler in history, but her career was almost derailed by a series of concussions five years ago.
Maroulis’s Post-Concussion Journey
Between 2018 and 2019, Maroulis suffered three concussions, according to Olympics.com. The brain injuries lead to her developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), requiring medical treatment. “Mental health issues, including PTSD, after a concussion should never be overlooked or ignored,” says Dr. Vincent Schaller, MD, DABFM, CIC, medical director and president of Mid-Atlantic Concussion Alliance. It is important that concussion and TBI patients are asked about their current mental health at every visit. “If symptoms are identified, we help patients find proper counseling and medical management. In some situations, we also offer referrals for psychiatrists.”
Maroulis has come a long way from that very dark point in her life, when she thought her career was over. She was able to recover from her TBIs and return to the sport she loved—and win Olympic medals. Maroulis is also a global ambassador for USA Wrestling, helping them to promote women’s wrestling. She credits ocular and vestibular therapies for helping her on her recovery journey. She also credits biofeedback and dancing.
On August 9, 2024, Maroulis pinned her Canadian opponent in 24 seconds to claim the bronze medal in the 57 kg. freestyle category, making her the first American woman wrestler to claim three Olympic medals. At 32, she had recently considered retiring, but isn’t so sure about that now.
Congratulations to an amazing athlete whose post-concussion comeback journey is an inspiration to us all!
Daniel Haugh, Olympic Hammer Thrower
Olympic hammer thrower Daniel Haugh is a two-time USATF winner (2018 and 2019), and ranked sixth in the world for hammer throwers at his weight class when he headed off the Paris Olympics this summer. He had taken first place in the men’s competition at the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials in June after previously having finished 11th at the Tokyo Olympics.
While Haugh was ultimately eliminated in the preliminaries at the Paris Olympics, his strong showing at the trials proved his well deserved place on the US Olympic Team. Besides his storied record in hammer throw competitions, Haugh is an elite weight thrower as well. Back in February of this year, the 29-year-old Marietta, GA, athlete set the world record for the longest weight throw. His other titles include the 2022 USA Hammer Throw Champion, and a gold medal in the 2019 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Being a world-class track-and-field athlete and Olympian is a triumph, especially when you consider how he came into the sport.
Haugh’s Concussion Backstory
Haugh’s first love was football, which he had played throughout his childhood and dreamed of playing division I ball. Unfortunately, he suffered a severe concussion in high school, which forced him to hang up the cleats, according to 11Alive News in Atlanta. Rather than give up on sports all together, the tenth grader found a new passion that wouldn’t require contact: discus and shotput. That was back in 2014. Pivoting to track and field was a bold and smart move: he ended up attending Kennesaw St. University, where he excelled at the hammer throw for four years, leading to his future Olympic endeavors.
Haugh’s story of triumph and determination as a post-concussive athlete serves as a reminder to all of us that TBIs do not define who a person is. Finding that “new normal” and striving to achieve it is not only possible, but rewarding.
Modern Concussion Diagnosis and Treatment for Athletes and Non-Athletes
Maroulis and Haugh’s inspiring return-to-play post-concussion stories show us just how far the treatments and therapies for traumatic brain injuries have come in the last few decades. The medical communities understanding through research of TBIs and breakthroughs in technology have helped make this possible.
In assessing concussions and TBIs, Mid-Atlantic Concussion Alliance uses advanced brain health testing technologies and concussion protocols. These include:
- ImPACT neurocognitive testing
- Cambridge Brain Sciences (CBS Health) neurocognitive testing
- BrainScope One quantitative EEG
- RightEye infrared eye tracking
- Brain SPECT Scan 3-D metabolic imaging
- Sway Balance System mobile-app-based vestibular screening for cell phones and tablets
These technologies can also be used to monitor how patients’ recovery programs are working, allowing concussion specialists to customize treatment plans to address individual needs.
Where to Find a MAC Concussion Specialist in the Mid-Atlantic Region
To date, MAC Alliance has treated over 15,000 patients in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, Virginia, New York and beyond. To find a MAC Alliance Concussion Care Center near you, use our location finder or call (302)235-8808.
