Recent news stories have emerged about the increasing incidence of concussions in youth sports, and that management of concussions may be different between girls and boys, as well as age.  For example, recent research by Covassin, et. al, from Michigan State University has shown that girls symptoms and recovery may be more severe than boys, and can possibly be due to estrogen levels in girls and higher levels of blood flow to the brain.  With an estimated 1.6 million Americans experiencing a sports-related concussion every year, it is critical to be educated on the symptoms of a concussion and proper treatment:

According to the Center of Disease Control, some concussion symptoms are as follows:

• Headache
• Blurry vision
• Difficulty concentrating
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Difficulty remembering

For a full list of symptoms, please click here.

States are increasingly passing regulations for safety of youth soccer players.  For example, in the State of Colorado, if a youth athlete has an injury and a concussion is suspected, it is state law the player must be taken out of the game and not return to play.  The best advice I can give is that if it is suspected that a youth player may have suffered a concussion is to seek professional medical attention immediately.  Immediate medical attention will help with the diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. In my next post, I will review the debate on heading and proper technique of heading.  Here is to safe playing!

By: Jen Lesea-Ames

CEO, Fitwise Training, Inc.