Nearly 2 million of them sustain a traumatic brain injury in the course of those activities, resulting in close to 300,000 hospitalizations and $60 billion in costs. But that’s not the entire picture -- it does not count those with moderate or mild traumatic brain injuries who don’t see a doctor.
A concussion is a traumatic brain injury created by force or impact directly to the head, neck, face or elsewhere on the body. An adult brain floats inside the skull, surrounded by cerebrospinal fluid. This three-pound organ uses the fluid as a shock absorber for minor impacts.
In the most common instance of concussion, a major blow to the head or whiplash effect can cause the brain to strike the inner skull, then strike the opposite wall. In another scenario, called a rotational concussion, the head rotates rapidly from one side to the other, causing straining and shearing of brain tissues. In both cases, delicate neural pathways are damaged, causing the symptoms of a concussion.
Make no mistake -- it is a severe injury, resulting in lost consciousness, behavioral changes, cognitive impairment, sleep disturbances, somatic symptoms, cognitive symptoms and emotional changes. These impairments can occur rapidly and resolve quickly, so quickly that neither the athlete, coaches nor trainers observe or recognize the symptoms. In other cases, it can be decades after the trauma before conditions begin to manifest.
The danger is that concussion effects are cumulative, and symptoms can worsen with each concussion, resulting in debilitating conditions for the afflicted later in life. Some former athletes have constant headaches and can’t stand outdoor sunshine or noises. This largely confines them to their homes. Others withdraw as depression strikes or develop neurological conditions like Parkinson’s disease, as with former boxing champion Muhammad Ali. Some athletes are unable to function and develop other conditions related to their concussions that cause deterioration in overall health.