Injuries/Conditions
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, as many as 3.8 million concussions related to reaction and sports are estimated to occur in the United States each year.
Football and basketball, in particular are sports that contribute to the highest number of estimated head injuries treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms.
After a hard hit to the head the athlete will have a signs and symptoms which may include:
- light-headedness
- dizziness
- fogginess
- unsteadiness
- headaches
- fuzzy vision and more
The athlete must be promptly examined and not returned to practice or games.
A concussion without prompt and proper treatment may result in a significant decrease in mental function, which can affect grade point average and how one feels. If not treated properly and a repeat concussion occurs, there is potential for permanent brain damage and ongoing symptoms. A physician who is familiar with sports concussions must examine the athlete before he or she returns to action.
Athletes that are not fully recovered from the initial injury are vulnerable to a second blow.
With that in mind, the best way to manage a concussion is to allow athletes to return to sporting activity only after they have been completely cleared from the first injury.
