​Head Injuries and How to Protect Young Fall Sports Athletes

There was a time when “toughing it out” after an injury on the field was considered admirable. Today we know better.

The Minnesota Department of Health conducted a study using a sampling of only 39 public high schools in Minnesota (8% of Minnesota’s high schools) which reported 704 sports-related concussions. While the concussions ranged from mild to severe, the point is, that each one is considered a brain injury, and that’s serious business.

Also serious are the laws in place when it comes to concussions. *Minnesota Statute 121A.38 states that coaches or school officials should remove a youth athlete from participating in any athletic activity when the athlete:

• Shows signs, symptoms, or behaviors consistent with a concussion; or
• Is suspected of sustaining a concussion

The statute also indicates that when an athlete is removed from participating in sports due to a concussion, they may not return to play until they:

• No longer show signs, symptoms or behaviors consistent with concussion
• Are evaluated by a health care provider trained and experienced in evaluating and managing concussions, and the provider gives the athlete written permission to resume participation.

As local football, soccer, cheerleading and lacrosse teams begin practice and games, it is important athletes, parents and coaches know basic and important information about head injuries. Sometimes the signs of a concussion are obvious; the patient is unconscious or acting “out of it” immediately after a head injury. However, signs and symptoms may be subtle are not always immediate. That’s why it is so important to understand what to look for after a head injury and when it is more than just a “bump on the head.”

Concussion can cause loss of consciousness but many people with a concussion never lose consciousness.

Here are some of the physical symptoms a young athlete may experience if he or she has recently suffered a concussion or TBI:

• Headache or “pressure” in head
• Nausea or vomiting
• Balance problems or dizziness
• Fatigue or feeling tired
• Blurry or double vision
• Sensitivity to light or noise
• Numbness or tingling
• Does not “feel right”
• Moodiness

The most important thing to know if a young athlete has sustained a blow to the head is to seek medical attention, especially if you are noticing any concussion symptoms. The Urgency Room and its three Twin Cities locations often see head injuries. For each patient with a head injury, in addition to evaluating for concussion, our providers do an assessment for serious head injuries such as bleeding in the brain or skull fractures. For many patients a history and physical exam is all that is needed but some injuries are worrisome enough to require imaging of the brain and skull using CT scan. CT scan is the test of choice to evaluate for bleeding in the brain or skull fracture, and this can be performed at the Urgency Room.

If a concussion is diagnoses, the key to recovering from head trauma is rest. For young athletes sustaining a concussion, it is important to stop play and sit it out, immediately. Your brain needs time to properly heal, so rest is necessary. Athletes and children should be closely monitored by coaches upon resuming play.

Keep in mind, repeat concussions cause cumulative effects on the brain. Sustaining a second concussion before recovering completely from the initial concussion is especially dangerous. Successive concussions can have devastating consequences permanent brain damage, difficulties with memory or other long-term disabilities.

Prevention is key to protecting yourself from serious head injuries. When necessary, wear a helmet especially in sports like football, hockey, soccer and while up at bat in softball or baseball. These are instances when a tackle or pitch can cause irreversible damage to an athlete who isn’t wearing head protection.

*Minnesota Department of Health