Concussion and Sports

How many sports concussions occur each year?

• It is estimated that as many as 3.8 million concussions occur in the USA per year during competitive sports and recreational activities; however, as many as 50% of the concussions may go unreported.¹
• Sports and recreation-related concussions are a leading cause of TBI-related emergency department (ED) visits among children and teens.²
• Children and teens make up approxiamately 70% of all sports- and recreation-related concussion seen in the emergency department.²
• Children have the highest rate of emergency department visits for traumatic brain (TBI) injury of all age groups.²

In what sports are concussions most often reported?

• Concussions occur in all sports with the highest incidence in football, hockey, rugby, soccer and basketball. ¹
• The largest number of sports and recreation related TBIs among males occurred during bicycling, football, and basketball.¹
• Among females, the largest number of sports and recreation related TBIs occurred during bicycling, playground activities, and horseback riding.¹
• Among all sex, grade, and racial/ethnic subgroups, the odds of reporting a concussion increased significantly with the number of sports teams on which students played.⁸

How many athletes are sustaining multiple concussions?

• 15% of students (approximately 2.5 million) reported having at least one concussion during the 12 months.¹⁰
• 6% (1 million) reported two or more concussions.¹⁰
• 69% of athletes with a possible concussion played with concussion symptoms.⁹
• 40% of those athletes said their coach was not aware they had a possible concussion.⁹

What is known about sports concussion risk and recovery?

• In sports with similar playing rules, the reported incidence of concussion is higher in female athletes than in male athletes.¹
• Young children and teens are more likely to get a concussion and can take longer to recover than adults.³
• Athletes who have had a concussion, at any point in their lives, have a greater chance of getting another concussion.³
• A greater number, severity, and duration of symptoms after a concussion are predictors of a prolonged recovery.¹
• Recurrent concussion is associated with increased odds of post-concussion syndrome (PCS).⁴

How can sports concussions be prevented?

There are many ways to help reduce the risk of a concussion or other serious brain injury both on and off the sports field, including:

Tell athletes you expect good sportsmanship at all times, both on and off the playing field.

• Wearing the right protective equipment.
  Use the right protective equipment for the sport or activity. Helmets should fit properly and be:
  • well-maintained
  • age appropriate
  • worn consistently and correctly
  • appropriately certified for use
• Creating a safe sports culture.
  Young athletes deserve to play sports in a culture that celebrates their hard work, dedication, and teamwork, and in programs that seek to create a safe environment—especially when it comes to concussion. As a youth sports coach or parent, your actions can create a safe sport culture and can lower an athlete’s chance of getting a concussion or other serious injury.
• Enforcing the rules.
  Enforce the rules of the sport for fair play, safety, and sportsmanship. Ensure athletes avoid unsafe actions such as:
  • Striking another athlete in the head;
  • Using their head or helmet to contact another athlete;
  • Making illegal contacts or checking, tackling, or colliding with an unprotected opponent; and/or
  • Trying to injure or put another athlete at risk for injury.

What should you do if you think you or your child has had a concussion?

• Seek medical attention right away. A health care professional will be able to decide when it is safe to return to sports.
• Do not return to play with a known or suspected concussion until evaluated and given permission by an appropriate health care professional. Second concussions that occur before you have recovered can be very serious.
• Tell your coach or child’s coach about any recent concussions.

It is better to miss one game than the whole season.