Participation in sports is an important part of the physical, mental and social development of our youth. While their goal is to promote health, sports carry an inherent risk of injury.
There is increasing evidence that the short- and long-term health risks associated with TBI in sports are more serious than previously known. While concussions have been the main focus of the medical community, the media, and the sports world, it seems they are only part of the problem. A growing number of studies show the risk of short- and long-term brain damage, and neurodegenerative disease may be more closely related to an athlete’s cumulative brain trauma over their lifetime.
This head trauma includes both concussions and subconcussive impacts, which are rapid head movements that do not cause any concussion symptoms.
Studies are now finding that some athletes who have received subconcussions, but have never shown any concussion symptoms, still have abnormal findings on certain tests of brain structure and function. It’s still unclear whether these results were caused by too many impacts in one day, one season, one year, or even a lifetime, but one thing is clear: Blows to the head are dangerous and more needs to be done to protect people. the athletes. .
WHO IS AT RISK FOR CONCUSSION? Concussions are a problem at all levels in many sports. Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that among high school athletes, men’s ice hockey has the second-highest rate of concussions, behind only football. Concussion prevalence in youth hockey is strikingly similar to concussion estimates in the NHL (23 per 1000 player hours).
One factor found in an analysis of videotapes of bantamweight players is that characteristics of ice skating helped explain why certain players suffer concussions. These players tended to skate with their heads down looking at the puck, placing themselves in the “danger zone,” which is between 8 and 16 feet from the boards, and did not optimally position their bodies to receive a check. Therefore, when tagged, these players were thrown onto the boards more often; and collisions occurred all too often when their heads were down. Many coaches are working in practice to reduce this style of play; equipment manufacturers are finding ways to increase protection and rinks are installing ice safety features; but this type of injury happens to even the best and most experienced players.
The concussion problem reaches all the way to the National Hockey League. The NHL is facing multiple lawsuits from former players alleging it improperly handled concussions and other brain injuries and did not do enough to protect them from the long-term dangers of concussions. The lawsuits are similar to the class action lawsuit against the NFL, which reached a substantial settlement. This just goes to show that training and education needs to be implemented at all levels of hockey.
WHAT CAN YOU DO? Educate yourself on the signs and symptoms of concussions, and make sure your coaches and trainers have the same, and have protocols in place if an injury of this type occurs.
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS/SYMPTOMS OF A CONCUSSION WATCHED BY COACHING STAFF:
– Loss of consciousness (even briefly)
– Appears dazed or dazed or moves unsteady
– I am confused about the assignment or position
– Forget declarations
– Not sure about the game, score, opponent
– Shows changes in mood, behavior or personality.
– I can’t remember events
– Answer questions slowly
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS/SYMPTOMS OF AN ATHLETE-REPORTED MOBILE CONCUSSION?
– Headache or pressure in the head
– Nausea or vomiting
– Balance problems or dizziness
– Golden double blurred vision
– Sensitivity to light or noise
– Confusion
WHAT TO DO IF THERE ARE SIGNS OF SHOCK?
– Remove the athlete from the game.
– Ensure that the athlete is evaluated by an appropriate health professional. Do not try to judge the severity of the injury yourself.
– Inform the athlete’s parents or guardians of the known or possible concussion.
– Allow the athlete to return to play only with the permission of a health professional.
WHEN IS IT SAFE TO PLAY AGAIN? All athletes who sustain a concussion, no matter how minor, should have an evaluation by a qualified health care provider such as Michigan Sports & Center before returning to play. In some cases, authorization from your primary care physician may not be enough. There are many factors that determine when an athlete can safely return to play. We have very specific protocols that measure an athlete’s responses at different levels of rest and activity; and in some cases other therapy may be necessary. It is not safe to return to play until they are completely free of all symptoms and remain symptom free during and after physical testing. If you’re not sure, give us a call to schedule a consultation. Our goal is to get athletes back in the game as soon as possible only when they are not at risk of further injury. I also encourage you to speak with your coaches and coaches to ensure they are up to date on the latest protocols to keep athletes safe.