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Sports-Related Concussion

By

The Manual's Editorial Staff

Reviewed/Revised Sep 2023
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What is a sports-related concussion?

A concussion is an injury to your brain that temporarily affects your thinking and awareness. You may be knocked out (unconscious) or may just feel confused.

What Is a Sports-Related Concussion?
VIDEO

The skull bone protects your brain. Fluid inside your skull also cushions your brain. However, if your head gets hit hard enough, your brain can move inside the skull and bump up against your skull. This may injure your brain and temporarily change the way your brain works.

A sports-related concussion is a concussion that you get from a sports injury, such as hitting your head from playing football.

See a doctor right away, especially one who has treated lots of sports-related concussions, if you think you have a sports-related concussion.

Which sports can cause concussion?

Concussions are caused by something hitting your head very hard. In sports, this can happen when you:

  • Fall and hit your head

  • Hit your head on another player

  • Are struck on your head with an object such as a ball, bat, or stick

Concussions can happen in almost any sport. However, they are more likely in sports where people run into each other at high speed, such as football, rugby, ice hockey, or lacrosse. They are also more likely in sports involving sticks and pucks or balls that travel at high speed.

What are the symptoms of a sports-related concussion?

You may be unconscious for a little while (usually for less than 15 minutes). But you don't have to be knocked out to have a concussion. You may also have:

  • Confusion, including being dazed or stunned, being unsure of the score or what team you are playing, or answering questions slowly

  • Memory loss, such as not knowing team plays or not remembering what happened before or after the injury

  • Double vision and sensitivity to light

  • Being clumsy

  • Headache and feeling dizzy

  • Poor balance

Some symptoms can happen for a few days or weeks after your concussion:

  • Ongoing headaches

  • Trouble with your memory

  • Feeling tired and irritable

  • Trouble sleeping

  • Mood swings

  • Sensitivity to light and noise

If you have more than one sports-related concussion, even minor ones, you can have long-term brain injury called CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy). CTE develops years later. It causes symptoms such as:

How can doctors tell if I have a sports-related concussion?

If you had a head injury while playing sports, a doctor will:

  • Ask you questions

  • Do a physical exam to see whether parts of your brain are working right

If you don't come back to normal within a few minutes or were unconscious for a long time, the doctor will usually:

It's good to see a doctor who has experience with sports-related concussions.

How do doctors treat a sports-related concussion?

Your doctor will ask you to:

  • Rest

  • Take acetaminophen for any headache

  • Stop activities that may excite your brain (for example, using computers, playing video games, and watching TV)

  • Return to the hospital if your symptoms get worse

Before you can return to your sport, your doctor may ask you to start with easy exercises and slowly work your way through drills. You shouldn't start playing again until your symptoms are gone and your doctor clears you to play.

How can I prevent future sports-related concussions?

  • Wear any helmets recommended for your sport

  • Don't play contact sports until your doctor says your head injury has completely healed

  • Start gradually as you return to your sport

Some athletes undergo neurocognitive testing (testing of certain brain functions) before sports participation. This way if concussion is suspected, doctors can retest the athlete and find out if brain problems have developed.

Drugs Mentioned In This Article

Generic Name Select Brand Names
7T Gummy ES, Acephen, Aceta, Actamin, Adult Pain Relief, Anacin Aspirin Free, Aphen, Apra, Children's Acetaminophen, Children's Pain & Fever , Children's Pain Relief, Comtrex Sore Throat Relief, ED-APAP, ElixSure Fever/Pain, Feverall, Genapap, Genebs, Goody's Back & Body Pain, Infantaire, Infants' Acetaminophen, LIQUID PAIN RELIEF, Little Fevers, Little Remedies Infant Fever + Pain Reliever, Mapap, Mapap Arthritis Pain, Mapap Infants, Mapap Junior, M-PAP, Nortemp, Ofirmev, Pain & Fever , Pain and Fever , PAIN RELIEF , PAIN RELIEF Extra Strength, Panadol, PediaCare Children's Fever Reducer/Pain Reliever, PediaCare Children's Smooth Metls Fever Reducer/Pain Reliever, PediaCare Infant's Fever Reducer/Pain Reliever, Pediaphen, PHARBETOL, Plus PHARMA, Q-Pap, Q-Pap Extra Strength, Silapap, Triaminic Fever Reducer and Pain Reliever, Triaminic Infant Fever Reducer and Pain Reliever, Tylenol, Tylenol 8 Hour, Tylenol 8 Hour Arthritis Pain, Tylenol 8 Hour Muscle Aches & Pain, Tylenol Arthritis Pain, Tylenol Children's, Tylenol Children's Pain+Fever, Tylenol CrushableTablet, Tylenol Extra Strength, Tylenol Infants', Tylenol Infants Pain + Fever, Tylenol Junior Strength, Tylenol Pain + Fever, Tylenol Regular Strength, Tylenol Sore Throat, XS No Aspirin, XS Pain Reliever
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