Understanding Sports-Related Concussions & How To Prevent Them
Sports are a cherished pastime for many of us. Whether it’s watching a live event or participating yourself, the love of the game is strong. However, certain contact sports come with serious risks. One such risk we all need to be more aware of is concussions.
Occurring more than 3.8 million times each year in the U.S., this type of sports-related injury has become all too common, with the number of instances expected to rise as diagnostic technology improves. If you or someone you love participates in sports, you need to understand the dangers, how to recognize signs and how to prevent concussions.
First, let’s start with what a concussion entails. Concussions are known medically as mild traumatic brain injuries. The term “mild” is used because they are very rarely fatal — but that doesn’t mean they aren’t serious. Concussions occur when the brain is shifted violently within the skull due to some type of impact. It could be a blow to the head or a powerful jolt to the body, causing the head to jerk suddenly. The force of this movement damages the brain to some extent, producing changes in how it functions. (more…)