Trends in Concussion Incidence in High School Sports

Abstract

Although the collision sports of football and boys' lacrosse had the highest number of concussions and football the highest concussion rate, concussion occurred in all other sports and was observed in girls' sports at rates similar to or higher than those of boys' sports. The increase over time in all sports may reflect actual increased occurrence or greater coding sensitivity with widely disseminated guidance on concussion detection and treatment. The high-participation collision sports of football and boys' lacrosse warrant continued vigilance, but the findings suggest that focus on concussion detection, treatment, and prevention should not be limited to those sports traditionally associated with concussion risk.

Mind the gaps—advancing research into short-term and long-term neuropsychological outcomes of youth sports-related concussions

“…42 Young athletes of both sexes are at risk of concussion, but girls report higher concussion rates than boys, particularly in high school and college soccer, basketball, and baseball or softball. 28,[43][44][45] The factors that account for these differences remain uncertain, but might include quality of protective gear, recognition and reporting of concussion symptoms, and neck length and neck muscle strength. 46 Differences in recovery trajectories between males and females are also poorly understood.…”

One-Year Concussion Prevalence in Marion County, Florida High School Athletes

“…Stoller et al 16 reported that half of family practice and emergency department physicians had no knowledge of any consensus statement related to concussion in sport, whereas others discuss underreporting of concussion injuries. 1,2,4 This underscores the importance of having adequately trained staff present or readily available to athletes during times of practice and competition, especially for female athletes.…”

“…However, up to 50% of the concussions may go unreported. 1,2 A Joint Commission of the American Academy of Neurology, American Neurology Society, and Child Neurology Society report describes an ethical obligation to protect the athletes' current and future physical and mental health while informing athletes, parents, and medical professionals about the risks of concussion and postconcussive impairments. 3 Although some agreement exists, diagnosis and management of concussion are continually evolving as new data become available.…”

“…Several authors have compiled information about how type of sport and/or sex may impact the prevalence of concussion. 6,11,12,1,13,14 The International Conference on Concussion in Sport document also describes the influence of sex differences as less conclusive but still likely a modifying factor. 4 The knowledge of how these risk factors affect concussion prevalence can be used to implement measures to reduce risk while informing sports physicians to allow for more effective resource allocation.…”

Update on Sports Concussion

“…For all sports, the rate increased from 0.23 concussions per 1000 athlete-exposures (AEs) to 0.51. In another study of high school sports concussions from a single school district, Lincoln et al demonstrated an increase from 0.12 concussions per 1000 AEs in 1997-1998 to 0.49 in the 2007-2008 school year [3]. Possible explanations for these findings include an actual increase in the frequency of the injury vs increased reporting of injury because of heightened awareness of participants, parents, coaches, and medical staffs and improved reporting mechanisms.…”