Concussion Facts
Information below from the Center for Disease Control.

What is a concussion?
  • A concussion, also known as a mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI), is caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to either the head, neck, or body that causes the brain to move rapidly inside the skull. A concussion changes how the brain normally functions, but may not necessary cause structural damage that can be seen with standard imaging techniques like CT scans or MRIs.

  • Concussions can have serious and long-term health effects, and even a seemingly mild ‘ding’ or bump on the head can be serious.

  • Signs and symptoms of concussion include headache, nausea, fatigue, confusion or memory problems, sleep disturbances, or mood changes. Symptoms are typically noticed right after the injury, but some might not be recognized until days or weeks later.

How many sports concussions occur each year?
  • An estimated 1.6-3.8 million sports- and recreation-related concussions occur in the United States each year.

  • During 2001-2005, children and youth ages 5-18 years accounted for 2.4 million sports-related emergency department (ED) visits annually, of which 6% (135,000) involved a concussion.

In what sports are concussions most often reported?
  • In organized high school sports, concussions occur more often in high impact sports, with football accounting for more than 60% of concussions.

  • For males, football is the high school sport that causes the highest number of concussions. For females, soccer is the largest contributor.

  • Among children and youth ages 5-18 years, the five leading sports or recreational activities which account for concussions include: bicycling, football, basketball, playground activities, and soccer. Other high impact sports where concussions are more common include lacrosse, baseball, softball, wrestling,hockey, rugby, and equestrian.

What is known about sports concussion risk and recovery?
  • Sports concussion recovery times of high school athletes are longer than those for college athletes.

  • High school athletes who sustain a concussion are three times more likely to sustain a second concussion.

  • Lack of proper diagnosis and management of concussion may result in serious long-term consequences, or risk of coma or death.

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 the first has fully healed can be very serious.

  • Tell your coach or child’s coach about any history of concussions.


Concussion Facts
  • According to CDC estimates, 1.6-3.8 million sports and recreation related concussions occur each year in the U.S.

  • Approximately 10% of all contact sport athletes sustain concussions yearly.

  • Brain injuries cause more deaths than any other sports injury. In football, brain injuries account for 65% to 95% of all fatalities. Football injuries associated with the brain occur at the rate of one in every 5.5 games. In any given season, 10% of all college players and 20% of all high school players sustain brain injuries.

  • 87% of professional boxers have sustained a brain injury.

  • 5% of soccer players sustain brain injuries as a result of their sport.

  • The head is involved in more baseball injuries than any other body part. Almost half of the injuries involve a child’s head, face, mouth or eyes.

  • An athlete who sustains one concussion is two to three times more likely to sustain another concussion.

  • Effects of concussion are cumulative in athletes who return to play prior to complete recovery.

  • Up to 86% of athletes that suffer a concussion will experience Post-Traumatic Migraine or some other type of headache pain. In fact, recent evidence indicates that presence and severity of headache symptoms may be a very significant indicator of severity of head injury and help guide return to play decisions.
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