The number of high school age athletes that sustained a concussion in a team sport more than tripled from 1997 to 2007. “A concussion is a bruise to your brain and you don’t actually have to suffer a blow to your head to get one,” says athletic trainer Gina Marotta.
Concussions are often mistreated and can cause serious results. “Long terms effects of untreated concussions can include frequent headaches and trouble sleeping,” says Marotta. “If they take another hit soon after the initial injury, they can have Second Impact Syndrome.”
According to Time Magazine, less developed brains have more of a risk of suffering from second impact syndrome, which increases the swelling of the brain rapidly because the brain did not heal from the first injury.

RECOGNIZING THE SIGNS
Even people not involved in sports can suffer from head related traumas and may not be aware of the dangerous aspects that follow the injury. “It can cause, in extreme conditions, bleeding on your brain, or just a headache dizziness and mild symptoms that could last from a few minutes to a few days or months” says Marotta.
While treatment is a major part of the healing process, taking proper precautions is important as well. “The biggest thing is stopping when you do not feel right,” says Marotta. “Also properly training and practicing safe techniques in your sport is important.”
Many victims of concussions feel the first step to recovery is reporting your concussion. “With all the news, and concussions getting a lot more attention, there has been a lot more people saying, ‘hey, I don’t really feel good’,” says Marotta.
Time Magazine stated in a recent study conducted from 2005-2008, that more than 41 percent of athletes suffered a concussion and returned to playing their sport too soon. This means that 41 percent of high school athletes that experience a concussion put themselves at unnecessary risk for Second Impact Syndrome.
Teenagers are at an even higher risk because of their developing bodies. “I was dizzy for a few weeks because a girl fell on my head during a soccer game and even after the dizziness stopped I could not play for a month to be on the safe side,” says sophomore Brianna Rainier.
Between 1998 and 2008 Girls soccer recorded the most concussions of any girls sport evaluated in a study overseen by Andrew Lincoln, director of the Sports Medicine Research Center at Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore.

AGE CAN INCREASE RISKS
High School athletes are not the only ones at risk. Younger athletes that play midget football, little league or AYSO are at a increased risk. A new study from Hasbro Children’s Hospital was conducted by numerous doctors including James Linakis, who is a pediatric emergency medicine physician with Hasbro Children’s Hospital and its Injury Prevention Center.
“Our assessment highlights the need for further research and injury prevention strategies into sport-related concussions and this is especially true for the young athlete,” says Linakis. “Prevailing expert opinions suggests that concussions in this age group can produce more severe neurologic after-effects, such as prolonged cognitive disturbances, disturbed skill acquisition and other long-term effects.” While Linakis highlights the effects of early age concussions, he also mentions the importance of proper rest and healing.
“Children need not only be physical, but rest, and a slow-graded return to play and school after such injuries,” says Linakis. “As a result of this study, it is clear that we need more conservative guidelines for the management of younger children who suffer concussions.”
Concussions are not a joke and one hundred percent of them reported can be treated. Unreported concussions cannot receive the proper medical attention that could potentially save lives. Make sure to tell someone about the injury, whether it be your coach, doctor, school trainer or parents especially if you feel any of the symptoms of a concussion.