Newcastle star Kalyn Ponga heading to Canada to get help with concussion issues
Kalyn Ponga is making a huge move to save his career after his 2023 season was derailed by yet another serious concussion.
NRL
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Kalyn Ponga is off to Canada to undergo testing that will help the club and medical staff make decisions around his recovery after the Knights superstar was concussed while making a tackle earlier in the season.
The round 2 injury against the Tigers was his fourth concussion in the past 10 months, with repeated head knocks bringing an early end to his 2022 campaign.
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Ponga left for Vancouver on Friday morning along with Knights chief medical officer Jin Lee, with the pair hoping to get more information as to what the future holds for Newcastle’s star playmaker.
The 24-year-old’s health is paramount, which is why he’s been working closely with Professor Chris Levi and will now consult with overseas medical professionals using equipment that isn’t available in Australia.
The Knights released a statement on Friday morning to explain the purpose of the trip.
“Kalyn will undergo testing using a device that measures neurophysiological markers, which in turn will assist clinical decision making around recovery following concussion and provide further objective information to guide our clinicians,” the statement read.
“The assessment will involve technology that is approved for use in Northern America however not yet available in Australia.”
It’s unclear when Ponga will return from Canada but the club has vowed to keep the public updated as much as possible, although that could be restricted due to patient confidentiality.
Other big-name players like Latrell Mitchell, Tom Trbojevic and Ryan Papenhuyzen have gone to North America in the past 12 months to work with specialists on their hamstrings, but this is a unique scenario intended to study Ponga’s brain health in a bid to safeguard his wellbeing in the future.
CLUB STATEMENT🚨
— Newcastle Knights (@NRLKnights) March 23, 2023
The nib Newcastle Knights have provided an extensive update on Kalyn Ponga’s recovery from concussion👇
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“Management of concussion is a complex issue for everyone involved, we see this an opportunity to gather additional information to assist Kalyn in his recovery,” Knights director of football Peter Parr said.
“Our broader aim, under the guidance of Professor Levi, is to develop a model of care that will advance our capacity in supporting players with concussion.
“Kalyn remains in good spirits and wishes to thank everyone who has inquired about his health.”
Brain health is one of the most important topics in the game right now, with the NRL recently introducing a mandatory 11-day stand-down policy for players who display category 1 symptoms of concussion during a game or at training.
Originally published as Newcastle star Kalyn Ponga heading to Canada to get help with concussion issues
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