It’s hard to believe it’s September! Most students are back in school and fall sports and activities have begun and with that, there are sports- and recreational-related injuries including concussions. According to the CDC, “Concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. This sudden movement can cause the brain to bounce around or twist in the skull, creating chemical changes in the brain and sometimes stretching and damaging brain cells.” 

The incidence of concussion is slowly increasing and according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, between 1.7-3 million sports- and recreation-related concussions happen each year. It’s reported 2 in 10 high school athletes, who play contact sports, will sustain a concussion each year with football the most common sport at 300,000 a year, followed by girls’ soccer in second, and girls’ basketball third.

Because of the increasing occurrences of concussions, it’s important to be aware of what symptoms to look for in. Common concussion symptoms are:

• Headache

• Dizziness

• Fatigue

• Difficulty concentrating

• Memory problems

• Sleep problems

• Irritability

• Easily frustrated

80-90% of individuals will recover fully without any intervention, but females have a higher incidence of prolonged symptoms following a concussion. Interestingly, males will commonly present with headache, dizziness, and difficulty concentrating, whereas, females will experience sensitivity to light and/or sound and nausea.

There’s growing awareness and knowledge of concussions including early diagnosis, symptom management, and treatment so be sure to check back for future blog posts and follow us on social media for more information.

If you are interested in learning more or about treatment options, don’t hesitate to call/text 701-318-4731 or email connectptnd@gmail.com to learn how we can help. Don’t forget to follow on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date on the happenings at Connect Physical Therapy.

- Alison Fuhrman, PT, DPT, CMPT, OCS