Do you know someone who has had a concussion? What were they doing when it happened? Some people get concussions when they are in a car accident, along with whiplash or other injuries. But for many other people, concussions occur while participating in sports. They happen in full contact sports such as football, rugby or hockey, but they can also happen with an accidental collision in just about any sport.
If you think about it, a pair of football, soccer, hockey, or rugby players could easily have full contact in the course of the game, and suffer a concussion. They don’t necessarily have to strike their heads together, either. Sometimes it is enough to cause a concussion if two people run into one another and hit the other’s body or bounce off one another hard enough. This sort of event can occur even in non contact sports. For example, you might think that tennis is a relatively safe sport to play, in terms of a concussion. You might think that the only way a person would get a concussion is if another person whacked them with a tennis racket. That certainly might cause one, but falling hard on the tennis court or colliding with their doubles partner could cause a concussion as well.
Participating in sports is fun. It can be a good source of exercise, skill building, and healthy competition. Sports can help participants develop a sense of teamwork and community as well. There are risks, of course, associated with participating in sports but many people still choose to take part because they enjoy them. People also choose to participate in sports because there are rules in place and safety gear which both help to greatly reduce the risk of player injuries.
Football players wear protective padding and helmets to protect their bodies and brains. Baseball players wear helmets when batting to protect their heads from flying baseballs. Hockey players wear substantial padding which serves to protect them in the case of collision not only with another player, but also from collision with the cold, hard, unforgiving ice.
As you can see, playing all kinds of sports can result in a concussion, even with protective sports gear and safety rules to help offset the risks. In addition to safety equipment and rules of play, being prepared for a concussion is the best defense a person can have. You might wonder how you can prepare for a concussion. Do you bring an ice pack in a cooler to each game, and just wait? The answer to that is yes and no. Of course, you should have a first aid kit at hand, and they include cold packs which activate when you squeeze them. Applying an ice pack can soothe a sore head and reduce swelling. But another way to be prepared is through knowledge. If you or a family member participates in sports, you should be able to recognize the signs of a concussion, so that you can seek medical treatment when it occurs.
Do you want to learn more about the signs and symptoms of concussion? Schedule your appointment so that you can learn more about concussions.