Concussions in high school sports

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a blow, jolt or penetration to the head that disrupts the function of the brain. Most TBIs are caused by falls, jumps, motor vehicle traffic crashes, being struck by a person or a blunt object, and assault. Student-athletes may be put at risk in school sports, creating concern about concussions and brain injury.^[1] A concussion^[2] can be caused by

• a direct blow to the head,
• or an indirect blow to the body that causes reactions in the brain.

The result of a concussion is neurological impairment that may resolve spontaneously but may also have long-term consequences.

Background[]

Many teens engage in extracurricular activities including sports that can pose risk of injury. Some sports that create a more significant risk of a head injury or concussion include basketball, cheerleading, soccer, and football.^[3][4] High school football accounts for a significant percentage of head injuries that result from high school sports.^[1] While performing intense physical activity the brains' structure and functionality can be changed. This alteration in the brain may be a reason athletes in contact sports have concussions at higher. In combination with the contact and altered brain structure this can potentially lead to more severe concussions (Tremblay, Pascual-Leone, Théoret, 2018, p.172)..^[5]

Prevention[]

Prevention efforts in high school athletics may include:

• Conditioning, teaching and practice of techniques that reduce the chance of injury. For example, a football player who learns the proper way to tackle, spends time in the weight room, and maintains overall good health choices is more likely to avoid situations which put them in harm's way.^[6]
• Concussion response programs that take concussions seriously, limit the number of concussions a student may have while continuing to participate in a sport, and that monitor for recovery and residual effects of concussion.^[7]

Coaches, parents and students should educate themselves about concussions,^[8] including knowing the signs of a concussion,^[9] and being prepared to respond appropriately to incidents of head trauma and concussion.

Schools should implement formal concussion plans that include elements of education, prevention, recognition, evaluation and management, so as to not only reduce the chance of concussion, but to ensure that concussions are promptly diagnosed^[10] and that concussed student athletes receive proper medical care and are not endangered by a premature return to sports.^[7][11][12] School concussion plans should also have a formal system for tracking compliance, and for identifying and responding to any deviations from the plan's standards.^[11]

Signs[]

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists of possible signs of concussion that may appear in a student-athlete after a jolt to the head or body,^[13][2] including:

• a dazed appearance,
• confusion,
• forgetfulness,
• lack of confidence in actions,
• clumsiness,
• slower than normal,
• loss of consciousness,
• changes in mood, behavior, or personality, and
• inability to remember events prior to, or after the hit.

An injured student may report any of these signs as well as sensitivity to light or sound, double vision, a headache, or other abnormal feelings. A student who has been diagnosed with a concussion may become frustrated, impatient, and angry about the situation.^[14]

Effects[]

Concussions not only have physically noticeable effects, but they also leave behind effects not noticeable. Concussions can greatly impact the quality of sleep one receives. Concussions have been shown to cause sleep patterns to become inconsistent. Some nights you may sleep for an extended period of time whereas in others sleep time can be short. With acute concussions, sleep occurs for longer durations when compared to subacute. These irregular sleep patterns can have major health effects by making an individual susceptible to health concerns later on (Raikes, Schaefer, 2016, p. 2145).^[15] Concussions have also been shown to increase the risk for mental issues such as depression, CTE, dementia, and other cognitive issues (Guskiewicz et al., 2005).^[16] Concussion also have long term effects on the ability to learn and execute motor patterns. When compared to an individual with no concussions their motor learning speeds are lower and their ability to progress in activity were also lower. In other words, the time it takes to learn new physical activities has decreased as well as their ability to progress in difficulty has been lower. This is due to the brain being damaged and not being able to process information as quickly as a healthy brain (Beaulieu et al., 2019, p. 105).^[17] Concussions are one of the most common injuries amongst high school football players today. They can affect adolescents in the short term and the long term and can have some of the severe outcomes on a players career and life.

Gear issue[]

In the game of football pads and helmets are good tools but do not completely protect the player. The helmets worn in football defend against most head injuries. These injuries include things like brain bleeds, skull fractures, and possible jaw injuries. What the helmets do not protect against are mTBI or mild traumatic brain injury. This is where concussions occur. Helmets cannot protect against them because they are simply a byproduct of football. Due to the physicality of the sports, concussion or other head injuries are inevitable. For this to be changed the whole sport in its entirety will have to be changed (Bachynski, Goldberg, 2014, p 323-333).^[18] But the choice to play football, in the end, is left to the families and the play themselves. If football is a sport they want to pursue, that is fine.

Response[]

A concussed player should receive proper medical treatment and should be excluded from practices and games until cleared to play by a qualified medical professional.^[19]

See also[]

• Concussions in American football
• Concussions in sports

References[]