"On the soccer field, Vinn suffered two concussions"

On the Go Ahead Eagles football field, goalkeeper Vinn (15) is back between the posts full of confidence. A performance that seemed uncertain for a long time. After two serious concussions, the talented youngster suffered from persistent headaches for months. Only after treatment at the Functional Neurological Institute was he able to put on his goalkeeper gloves again.

Knockout in the Physiotherapy Room

The first incident happened two years ago, when Vinn was thirteen. "The first blow was a shot that bounced off the left side of my face, right by my temple," Vinn says. The consequences were more serious than expected. "I woke up in the physiotherapy room. I didn't remember anything of what happened on the field." Vinn was taken to the hospital, where he had to stay overnight for observation because he couldn't remember anything of what happened that day. He also couldn't remember the three words the doctors had told him to remember, a standard test to detect memory problems. "That was a strange feeling; I'd never experienced that before," he recalls. Vinn was allowed to go home a day later. Eventually, some of his memories from the day of the incident returned, but Vinn still doesn't remember the moment itself. Vinn suffered a severe concussion from the blow and struggled with headaches for months. It took a while before he could return to the field and play with his team. The football club followed a strict protocol: first, working in the gym under the supervision of a physiotherapist, then light training outside, and finally returning to full training. Only when he was completely symptom-free was he allowed to return to sports.

The Second Impact

A year later, the second incident on the soccer field followed. On March 1st, Vinn landed with his head on an opponent's knee, again on his left side. This time, he remained conscious. "It just hurt so much, and I was dizzy," he says. It was the end of the game for Vinn, but there was no reason to go to the hospital. This time, his recovery was different. "I stayed active after this impact. To relieve the headache, I took paracetamol. That helped. After a while, I kind of forgot about it," says Vinn. His mother, Kimm, adds: "Vinn said it felt very different from the first concussion. So we didn't actually think it was a concussion. It was just a collision with a headache." Yet, it turned out to be a concussion. The headache persisted, but Vinn kept going. "I had a test week, so I just kept going to school. In hindsight, I think that wasn't a good idea," he admits now. After a week, the family realized it was more serious than they thought.

Summer vacation and the relapse

Meanwhile, Kimm had received a tip from a client about the Functional Neurology Institute. However, they decided to wait and see. "Summer vacation was coming up, there was no more football, and we expected the headaches would go away with plenty of rest," Kimm explains. After the vacation, things did indeed seem to improve. Vinn resumed his activities full of confidence. But then came the relapse: the headaches returned. "We immediately called the Functional Neurology Institute. He was able to see them two days later," Kimm says.

Intensive treatments

Basic tests were performed immediately upon intake, followed by the first treatment. The results were telling: everything on the left side of his body functioned less well than the right. "Quite a bit," Vinn replies when asked if he was surprised. "I didn't expect that." The treatments were intensive and ranged from functional neurological training to sessions with laser activities in the Gyro-Stim, a chair that rotates in all directions. "I enjoyed doing that. But I actually didn't expect it to help. You don't really do anything special, but it did help," Vinn says. After the first treatment, Vinn actually felt worse temporarily. He had been doing a lot of visual training maneuvers, which caused eye strain and headaches. Fortunately, the treatment team had prepared him for this.

Full Recovery

Vinn received five treatments in total. After the third session, he noticed a real improvement. "Fewer headaches, and all the test results improved." Now, two weeks after the last treatment, things are going "really well, actually." Vinn is back to doing everything and is training fully. Fear of another concussion isn't a factor. "No, I feel the same way on the field," says Vinn. Kimm confirms this: "We get asked that question a lot. I always found it nerve-wracking, but it's just part of the game that a collision or something can happen. I think it's much more important that he's very confident, because then an accident like that is less likely to happen than when you get anxious." Vinn has taken an extra protective measure: he now wears a helmet while playing goal. The team's other goalkeeper, who also suffered a concussion, does the same. "I thought it was strange at first, but actually, it's not that bad," says Vinn. For Kimm, it's reassuring: "It would have helped with the first blow if he'd already been wearing a helmet. A helmet doesn't help with that knee in his face either, of course. But in other situations, it's certainly helpful that he wears one."

With his dreams of becoming a professional goalkeeper still intact, Vinn is back in goal for Go Ahead Eagles full of confidence. Proof that with the right care and treatment, recovery is possible, even after two serious concussions.

Vinn 15 years old, goalkeeper