• Warning: examine concussion equipment claims before purchase
  • Ivy League leads concussion policy changes
  • Concussion Spectrum in College Athletes Wearing Helmets: 'Not So Simple,' Say Researchers
  • First soccer head impact study
  • Pop Warner limits contact practices
  • Junior Seau's former agent reflects on his death
  • Community concussion roundtable: Senator Rockefeller and federal officials
  • CTE and Alzheimer's; different diseases
  • Riddell adds CDC/USA Football  concussion tags

Athletes

Knowing the signs and symptoms of concussion is important. If you think you may have suffered a concussion:


1) Take yourself out

If you think you may have suffered a concussion, take yourself out of the game or practice. Make sure you consult a health care professional before resuming physical activity. It is important not to suffer another injury until the first one has completely healed. Know the signs and symptoms of a concussion and remember that it can take time for them to appear, sometimes hours or days after the injury occurs.

If you think you have a concussion, sit out. It's not worth the risk.


2) Signs and symptoms of concussion

  • Appears dazed or stunned
  • Headache or "pressure" in head
  • Is confused about assignment or position
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Forgets an instruction
  • Balance problems or dizziness
  • Is unsure of game, score, or opponent
  • Double or blurry vision
  • Moves clumsily
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Answers questions slowly
  • Sensitivity to noise
  • Loses consciousness (even briefly)
  • Feeling sluggish, hazy, foggy, or groggy
  • Shows mood, behavior, or personality changes
  • Concentration or memory problems
  • Can't recall events prior to hit or fall
  • Confusion
  • Can't recall events after hit or fall
  • Does not "feel right" or is "feeling down"


3) Tell someone

A person who suffers a concussion is not always the best judge of how badly they are hurt, because their brain may not be working properly. If you think you may have a concussion, or just aren't feeling "quite right" and you have one or more signs/symptoms of concussion, tell someone, preferably your coach, parent or another adult.

4) Make sure to seek medical help

It is important to consult a medical provider who is trained in the diagnosis and management of concussion. Don't judge the severity of the injury yourself. Concussions can be very unpredictable. A qualified medical professional will be able to diagnose your injury and guide you through the recovery process. They may recommend complete rest, both physical and cognitive, as the brain needs both to heal. This typically means no physical activity and limiting brain activity like watching TV, texting, reading, and computer use.

5) Give yourself time

Your brain needs time to heal. Concussions are as individual as the athlete who sustains it, and no one can predict, at the time of injury, how long healing will take. Physical and cognitive rest are often the shortest route to recovery. It is important not to return to physical activity or cognitive activity such as a full day of school, until your medical provider says it is safe to do so.

6) Obtain written medical authorization

Many states require athletes to obtain written medical authorization before they are allowed to return to play. If your state does not have a concussion law with this stipulation, it's a good practice to follow anyway. Make sure you are evaluated by a medical professional who is trained in the diagnosis and management of concussion. It's important to inquire.

6) Return to play gradually

In 2008 an international panel of concussion experts developed a gradual return-to-play protocol for all athletes returning to activity after concussion. Increase your physical activity gradually, so you can tell your medical provider if you are truly symptom-free and ready to return to full participation. If symptoms return when you do light drills or increase your heart rate, tell your parents who should contact your medical provider.

7) Be honest

Many of the high school athletes who have suffered catastrophic injuries such as second impact syndrome, played with symptoms from a previous concussion. In some cases their friends knew, but didn't know how dangerous it was so they didn't speak up. Be honest with your parents, your medical professional and your coaches. It is impossible to know who will be lucky or who will require brain surgery.

8) Help a teammate

If you suspect a teammate has suffered a concussion, speak up, tell a coach or his/her parents. You might just save a life.


Links:

Brain Health

Don't ignore neurological symptoms

It is rare for a sports-related concussions to result in a more serious injury such as a skull fracture or hematoma. Nonetheless, it pays to be aware that catastrpohic injuries do sometimes occur as ...

read more...

Neuroscience

GPS for the brain; the "connectome"

Athens, Ga.- University of Georgia researchers have developed a map of the human brain that shows great promise as a new guide to the inner workings of the body's most complex and critical organ.

...

read more...

Resources

CDC: Return-to-school guide for school professionals
  • School professionals play an important role in the health of all students. Recognizing the signs and symptoms of concussion is important, as is managing their return to school ...
read more...

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