Sports Concussions
Sport Concussions
Sport Concussions
National American University
ABSTRACT
The United States Medical Society has developed guidelines to treat concussions received playing contact sports. The guidelines for treating concussions that occur during sports competition include three grades of concussion. Patients with grade 1 concussions have confusion without amnesia or loss of consciousness. They should be checked for amnesia or other symptoms every five minutes for 20 minutes, and allowed to resume playing if no symptoms develop. Grade 2 patients have confusion with amnesia and no loss of consciousness. They should be removed from competition and examined for symptoms immediately after the injury and again the day after. If no symptoms develop within one week, they should be allowed to participate in sports again. Grade 3 patients lose consciousness and should be taken immediately to the hospital for neurological evaluation. They should be admitted if any abnormalities are seen. Even patients who suffer from concussions without loss of consciousness should be carefully monitored. They can die from brain swelling if another concussion occurs.
INTRODUCTION
Sport Concussions An estimated 300,000 sports related traumatic brain injuries, of mild to moderate severity, most of which can be classified as concussions, (i.e., conditions of temporary altered mental status as a result of head trauma, occur in the United States each year. The proportion of these concussions that are repeat injuries is unknown; however, there is an increased risk for subsequent traumatic brain injuries among persons who have had at least one previous traumatic brain injury. In today’s competitive sports environment, large numbers of athletes participate in a wide variety of youth, high school, collegiate, professional, and recreational sports.(2) Whereas some sports (eg, football) have maintained a consistent number of participants, others have increasing participation. For the
Sport Concussions
National American University
ABSTRACT
The United States Medical Society has developed guidelines to treat concussions received playing contact sports. The guidelines for treating concussions that occur during sports competition include three grades of concussion. Patients with grade 1 concussions have confusion without amnesia or loss of consciousness. They should be checked for amnesia or other symptoms every five minutes for 20 minutes, and allowed to resume playing if no symptoms develop. Grade 2 patients have confusion with amnesia and no loss of consciousness. They should be removed from competition and examined for symptoms immediately after the injury and again the day after. If no symptoms develop within one week, they should be allowed to participate in sports again. Grade 3 patients lose consciousness and should be taken immediately to the hospital for neurological evaluation. They should be admitted if any abnormalities are seen. Even patients who suffer from concussions without loss of consciousness should be carefully monitored. They can die from brain swelling if another concussion occurs.
INTRODUCTION
Sport Concussions An estimated 300,000 sports related traumatic brain injuries, of mild to moderate severity, most of which can be classified as concussions, (i.e., conditions of temporary altered mental status as a result of head trauma, occur in the United States each year. The proportion of these concussions that are repeat injuries is unknown; however, there is an increased risk for subsequent traumatic brain injuries among persons who have had at least one previous traumatic brain injury. In today’s competitive sports environment, large numbers of athletes participate in a wide variety of youth, high school, collegiate, professional, and recreational sports.(2) Whereas some sports (eg, football) have maintained a consistent number of participants, others have increasing participation. For the
References: 1) McAllister TW: Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Postconcussive Syndrome, in Silver JM, Yudofsky SC, Hales RE (eds): Neuropsychiatry of Traumatic Brain Injury. Washington:American Psychiatric Press, 1994, pp 357-392 2) Kay T, Harrington DE, Adams R, et al: Definition of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation 8:86-87, 1993 3) Cantu RC: Return to play guidelines after a head injury. Clinics in Sports Medicine 17:45-60, 1998 4) The Second Impact in Catastrophic Contact-Sports Head Trauma," Journal of American Medical Association, 6/27/84, Vol 252. No. 4, pp 538-539 5) Powell JW, Barber-Foss KD. Traumatic brain injury in high school athletes. JAMA. 1999;282:958–963 6) McCrory P, Johnston K, Meeuwisse W, et al. 2005. Summary and Agreement 7) Statement of the 2nd International Conference on Concussion in Sport, Prague 2004. Clin J Sport Med. 15(2):48-55o.