Research Finds Concussions Have The Same Symptoms Regardless of Where Hit Happened
New research from the Colorado School of Public Health shows that concussion injuries have the same effects, regardless of where the impact occurs on the head. “We were actually a little bit surprised. Based on some of our prior research, we expected to see some differences. We wanted a more complete understanding of concussion in high school football,” lead researcher Dawn Comstock said.
The study analyzed data from high school sports injuries that occurred in the 2008-2009 and 2012-2013 seasons. The study shows that 45% of all injuries in the 2,526 football-related injuries to high school students were from concussions that occurred during practices and games. That meant, for every 10,000 games, an average of 5 or 6 players would suffer a concussion. Most of the concussion injuries were sustained from blows to the side, back, and top of the head. However, regardless of what area of the head the impact occurred, the resulting concussion symptoms were the same.
“We can’t predict which athletes are more likely to have more severe symptoms or worse outcomes based only on how their injuries occur,” Comstock said. “Every clinician needs to take every concussion very seriously.” Researchers did note that players who received a concussion at the top of the head were more likely to pass out. “What we can say is that these findings definitely support the call to take the head out of the game if you will,” Comstock said. She said that findings support a different tackling technique, in which players keep their heads up rather than looking down while running at another player.
“We don’t ever want our work to be used to frighten and pull kids out of sports, but this work is a kind of reminder that the coaches, parents, physicians and everyone involved need to work together to make those sports safe to play,” Comstock said. The findings are especially important in light of an earlier study, in which concussion injuries in children were shown to last longer, with symptoms appearing after the head injury occurred.
“Patients and their families should expect the physical symptoms that they experience after a head injury to get better over the next few weeks, but that emotional symptoms may come on later, even as the physical symptoms subside,” said lead researcher Dr. Matthew Eisenberg. “Only by knowing what symptoms can be expected after a concussion injury can we help reassure patients and families that what they experience is normal, know when to seek additional help, and make sure that children are taking appropriate precautions in regard to school and sports to achieve a full recovery,” Eisenberg added.
The Strom Law Firm Can Help with Personal Injury Cases Related to Concussions and TBI
If your child received a concussion or traumatic brain injury (TBI) as a result of negligence on the part of the school or sports league, you may have a personal injury case. The attorneys at Strom Law, LLC can help. We offer free consultations to help get you on the road to recovery, so contact us today. 803.252.4800.
