Concussion
Usually caused by a blow to the head, concussion is an injury which will temporarily interfere with the brain. A person suffering from this injury could experience a difference in their memory, speech, balance or judgment.
Despite popular belief, most cases of concussion do not involve the person falling unconscious. It’s not uncommon for a person to suffer from concussion and not know about it either. Even if there do not seem to be any effects after a few days of incurring the concussion, most medics recommend a reasonable period of rest as the injury involves the brain and this will need time to recover.
Symptoms
Concussion can prompt lots of symptoms, many depending on the severity of the injury. Headaches and confusion are the two which are the most common, although dizziness, nausea, a ringing in the ears or slurred speech can also occur. If the athlete falls unconscious for more than five minutes, the concussion is classed as a severe case. Amnesia can be another symptom and this usually involves the loss of memory around the time the injury occurred.
There are some symptoms that might not appear immediately, more likely a few days after the blow. Sleep and disturbances and a notable sensitivity to light fall into this category.
Causes
Concussion is simply caused by a blow to the head. The skull can deal with minor knocks from time to time due to the cushioning cerebrospinal fluid that is around the brain. However, if it’s quite a hard blow, this fluid cannot cushion it well enough and the brain will collide against the side of the head quite forcibly. This blow can result in bleeds in the brain, which causes the effects described above.
Any person can suffer concussion, whether they are an athlete or not. Obviously, those who compete in contact sports are most at risk as they always have the danger of colliding their head with another player or hitting their head on the floor. In day to day life an accident such as walking into a door could cause this injury though – as the blow is likely to be strong enough to affect the brain.
There are a lot of extrinsic risk factors surrounding this injury, such as the failure to use the correct equipment or performing on an unsuitable surface. In the case of a high jump for example, the failure to use a proper cushioning matt could result in the person receiving a hard blow to the head. In other sports, a wet floor will increase the chance of slipping, which could also see the athlete receive a hard blow.
Treatment
As soon as a concussion is suspected, the athlete should stop training or competing immediately. As the brain needs time to recover from the blow, it’s thought that two to three weeks worth of rest should be taken. This means that the brain is in no danger of receiving another blow that could potentially worsen the original injuries. However, if a concussion has been confirmed, it should always be left to a doctor as to the exact timescale for returning to sport.
Most concussions heal fully and the athlete can eventually return to their sport. However, if the concussions keep recurring, sometimes the athlete might be recommended to stop playing their sport altogether as they might be at risk from serious brain injuries.
Prevention
Unfortunately, this is another injury which often happens due to bad luck. However, if the athlete wears the correct clothing (such as protective headgear when necessary) they have that extra cushioning around the head which will put them less at risk. Similarly, any clothing or equipment which helps prevent falls will do no harm, as this is an injury which could quite easily occur due to a slip.