Traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when the head strikes
or is stuck by an object. The head does not have to
experience an external blow for the brain to be injured.
Brain damage can occur when the head is pushed strongly
against the skull, such as with whiplash.
Concussion is a mild form of TBI from which recovery often
occurs without long term effects unless a person
experiences multiple concussions. Repeated brain injuries
have a cumulative effect resulting in more severe and more
prolonged post-concussion symptoms. A very serious and
dangerous condition or even death can occur if a second
concussion is suffered while symptoms from a previous
concussion still persist. This condition is called
second-impact syndrome (SIS). Sports-Related Concussions '
Causes and Frequency
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), about 300,000 people experience concussions each
year from sports injuries. Most sports-related concussions
come from contact sports, especially football, boxing,
hockey, and martial arts. Other major causes of a large
number of sports-related concussions are falls or
collisions in sports such as skiing, bicycling, horseback
riding, basketball, and soccer. In soccer an additional
risk for concussions is "heading" the ball.
The most likely population to suffer concussions due to
sports activities are males between the ages of 16 and 25.
Within this group, the risk is highest at the high school
level. About 25 percent of the 300,000 sports-related
concussions reported each year are suffered by high school
students playing contact sports. At the college level, over
one third of football players has suffered a concussion and
about 20 percent have had multiple concussions. Dangers of
Multiple Concussions
Second-impact syndrome (SIS), which is a concussion that
occurs while the victim is still recovering from an earlier
concussion, has resulted in at least 26 deaths in the past
20 years since this condition was first characterized. Most
of these victims were in high school.
While most cases of SIS and multiple concussions do not
cause death, the neuropsychological brain damage they cause
is significant. Many studies have shown that athletes who
have suffered multiple concussions are more likely to have
prolonged learning difficulties and perform more poorly on
neuropsychological tests compared to people who have had
one concussion or no concussions. Some the well-documented
neuropsychological impairments in athletes who have had
multiple concussions are:
* Reduced speed in processing new information
* Problem solving and planning difficulties
* Increased number of headaches
* Concentration difficulties
* Memory impairments
* Behavioral problems
Why Athletes Suffer Multiple Concussions
Factors that contribute to why athletes suffer multiple
concussions are related to the ability to accurately assess
severity and recovery from symptoms. For example, there are
several different scales for rating severity at the time of
the concussion but there is general lack of agreement on
which to use. There is also lack of agreement on what
amount of time should pass before athletes can safely
return to sports. This is because there are not any widely
accepted guidelines for assessing whether the athlete has
recovered. Preventing Traumatic Brain Injury
Using proper protective equipment can prevent many cases of
concussion. Helmets or other appropriate headgear should be
used in contact sports, and in sports for which falling or
colliding are risks (skiing, horseback riding, bicycling).
Custom fitted mouth pieces may also help prevent
concussions in contact sports. To be effective, all
protective equipment should be properly fitted and used for
the purpose in which is was designed.
Although the risk of concussion is inherent in sports
participation, decisions as to what sport to participate in
can help mitigate the risk of concussion. If you are
concerned about a traumatic brain injury sustained while
playing a sport, you may wish to contact an experienced TBI
lawyer. Your traumatic brain injury attorney can help you
assess your potential TBI claim and help you get the
compensation you deserve for the devastation incurred in
traumatic brain injuries.
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