Annually, approximately 1.6 to 3.8 million concussions affect football, soccer, field and ice hockey, lacrosse, basketball and other athletes. Concussions are brain injuries. Only about 10 percent of concussions cause loss of consciousness.
More common signs are:
- a dazed or stunned appearance
- confusion about the play
- clumsy movements
- slow responses to questions
- personality/behavior changes
- retrograde amnesia (forgetting play prior to “hit”)
- anterograde amnesia (forgetting play after “hit”)
- loss of consciousness (even temporary)
Common symptoms are:
- headache
- nausea
- balance problems
- double vision
- photosensitivity
- feeling sluggish
- changed sleep patterns
- cognitive (mental) changes
At the start of each season, athletes in contact sports should fill out a graded symptom checklist. Cleveland Clinic Sports Health recommends the ImPACT™ test, which scores the severity of 27 possible symptoms on a 0 to 6 scale.
Testing should be repeated whenever concussion is suspected. When an athlete is injured, Certified Athletic Trainers should conduct at least four sideline evaluations, including neurological and mental status testing. Any positive finding precludes a return to play.
After the game, neuropsychological, CT and MRI tests are also essential. Athletes need permission from a healthcare professional to return to play.
