Sport-Related Concussion Information

What is a concussion?

    A concussion is an injury to the brain that affects the brain’s ability to function properly. According to the Concussion in Sport Group, these injuries are defined as “a complex pathophysiological process affecting the brain, induced by traumatic biomechanical forces.”¹ Concussions can be caused from several different mechanisms including a direct blow to the head, colliding with another person or object, and being struck on the body resulting in a whiplash type motion.

    There are many slang terms used by athletes when referring to a head injury. Some of the more common slang terms are “dings” or “getting your bell rung”. When these terms are used, the injury is often times thought to be less severe when in reality the athlete has still suffered a concussion, which should be taken seriously. One common myth that is associated with concussions is that the athletes must have lost consciousness or “blacked out” to have suffered from a concussion. The athlete does not have to lose consciousness to have a concussion. There are many other signs and symptoms that could indicate someone has suffered from a concussion.

How many people get concussions?

    The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that approximately 1.6 to 3.8 million sport-related concussions occur annually in the United States.² Of all of the serious head injuries, 18.2% of them were a sport-related concussion.³ In high school athletics, approximately 8.9% of all injuries suffered were concussion.⁴ Of all the high school sports, the most concussions are seen in football, and soccer.⁴ In football specifically, 67.6% of the concussion suffered were caused by tackling or being tackled.⁴ Of the different positions, linebackers and running backs suffered more concussions than compared to the other positions.⁴ In soccer, the most common cause of a sport-related concussion in both boys and girls is heading the ball.⁴

Are concussions in children different?

    Children are much different from adults in respect to maturity and how their body responds to traumatic events. Your child’s maturity rate will greatly affect how they respond to a sport-related concussion. Children mature differently in different categories of maturation, these include physical growth, motor development, cognitive, visual-motor, auditory, and perceptual motor.⁵ 

    These different growth rates can cause an imbalance in competition which can lead to serious injuries.⁶ The rate at which a child develops will greatly influence their response to suffering from a concussion. The difference between youth and adult concussions is also in issue and they need to be handled differently.

What signs and symptoms should I look for?

    Athletes sustaining a concussion may not always exhibit obvious signs and symptoms. Each athlete may suffer unique behavioral, neurological, emotional, and physical abnormalities. Some of the most common signs and symptoms include headache, dizziness, confusion, and memory problems. Headache is often the most common symptom demonstrated by a concussed athlete, occurring in 40.1% of concussions.⁴ It was previously believed that loss of consciousness (LOC) was needed in order for a concussion to occur. However, LOC is rarely associated with a sport-related concussion. But, if LOC does occur, immediate medical assistance is required. Listed in the tables below are signs and symptoms that coaches, parents, and athletes should be aware of immediately after someone sustains a concussion.

    If you think that your child has sustained a sport-related concussion they should be removed from activity immediately. If your child is removed because of a suspected concussion they should not be allowed to return on the same day. They should be seen by a medical professional who has knowledge about sport-related concussions. Your child should be taken to the emergency room if they are demonstrating any “Red Flag” signs and symptoms. Some of these include loss of consciousness, if their brain function is deteriorating, if they begin having difficulty breathing, mental status changes such as lethargy, difficulty maintaining arousal, irritability, or confusion, and others that are listed below.⁷

Source: Guskiewicz et al., 2004⁷

Signs Observed by Coaches
Confusion	Loss of Consciousness
Dizziness	Easily Distracted
Vomiting	Easily Distracted
Drowsiness	Poor Concentration
Personality Change	Memory Problems
Irritability	Poor Balance or Coordination
Nervousness

Source: Guskiewicz et al., 2004⁷

Symptoms Reported By Athletes
Headaches	Vomiting
Neck Pain	Nausea
Dizziness	Vision Problems
Sensitivity to Noise/Light	Poor Balance or Coordination
Feeling "in a fog"	"Seeing Stars"
Drowsiness	Ringing in Ears
Feeling "dinged"	Nervousness
Poor Concentration	Memory Problems

Source: Guskiewicz et al., 2004⁷

Signs Observed by Parents
Severity of Headache	Level of Consciousness
Dizziness	Easily Distracted
Vomiting	Drowsiness
Poor Concentration	Personality Change
Memory Problems	Irritability
Nervousness	Poor Balance or Coordination
Nausea	Sensitivity to Noise/Light
Hyposmia

Source: Guskiewicz et al., 2004⁷

"Red Flag" for Immediate Referral to Emergency Room
Brain Function Deteriorating	Loss of Consciousness
Decreasing Level of Concsciousness	Difficulty Breathing
Mental Status Changes	Pupils are Unequal
Seizures