Brain Injury Lawyer

Fall is upon us, and youth sports like football, field hockey and soccer are back in session. While athletes and coaches are taking to the fields, the Brain Injury Association of New Jersey is launching a prevention campaign addressing concussion in sports.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 300,000 sports- and recreation-related brain injuries of mild to moderate severity occur in the United States each year. Still, concussion is frequently overlooked. It is commonly underappreciated as a serious injury because symptoms may appear minor or may not appear immediately. To address this issue, the Association assembled a committee of experts, representing a range of disciplines related to youth sports, including sports medicine, physical therapy, sports research, brain injury, and sports administration.

The Concussion in Sports Committee has developed a Concussion in Sports Consensus Statement (below), which has been endorsed by the Brain injury Association of America. The Association and Committee are reaching out to sports organizers and related organizations statewide to endorse the Statement and join in recognizing that concussion is a brain injury and should be taken seriously.

The Concussion in Sports Campaign aims to reach anyone involved in youth sports—from athletes to parents to officials to medical professionals. It will culminate in a Concussion in Sports Summit on February 24, 2006. Attending the summit will be delegates from sports and related organizations who are key decision makers and first responders in youth sports activities. The goal of the Summit is to enlist these leaders in the campaign and lay the groundwork by which they can actively raise awareness and establish best practices addressing sports concussion within their own organizations.

To find out how your youth sports or related organization can get involved in the Concussion in Sports Campaign, contact Joanna Boyd at (732) 738-1002 or jboyd@bianj.org. To learn more about concussion or request materials and resources on concussion in sports, visit the website or call the Association at (732) 738-1002.

Concussion in Sports Consensus Statement

CONCUSSION – definition and features

A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI), induced by mechanical forces that immediately disrupt the normal functioning of the brain.

When playing sports, if there is any doubt that a player might have sustained a concussion, the player should be removed from the game or practice. Never participate in physical activity if any sign or symptom of MTBI is present.

All concussions should be evaluated by knowledgeable health professionals to measure severity, monitor progress over time and properly manage the injury. Resolution of clinical and cognitive symptoms often occurs spontaneously, typically following a sequential course.

The mechanical trauma that causes a concussion may be either a direct blow to the head, face, and neck or an indirect blow elsewhere on the body that transmits an "impulsive" force to the head.

Concussion symptoms usually appear immediately, although they can present later, and affect a wide array of mental functions. A stunned, confused state is a hallmark of MTBI. Loss of consciousness may also occur; however, most concussions do NOT involve loss of consciousness. Memory loss, dizziness, emotional instability, disturbances of equilibrium, vision, and cognitive functions, as well as headache, nausea and vomiting are common
symptoms.

Concussion results in immediate chemical changes within the nerve cells of the brain, which usually return to normal over several days or weeks. Neuroimaging studies typically show grossly normal anatomic structures.

A concussion may have widely varied clinical consequences (from mild to severe); like all injuries, however, it is imperative that the injured body part be afforded adequate time to heal.

Resting the brain must not only involve ceasing physical activity for a period of time, but also should include a break from challenging cognitive activity as well.

Concussions are not simply "a blow to the head"; as brain injuries, concussions must always be taken seriously.

This definition has been developed by a committee of professionals as part of an on-going effort to bring together a statewide partnership on concussion awareness and prevention in youth sports.

Thanks to Joanna Boyd, Public Education Coordinator, and Caroline Leipf, Communications Associate, for the Brain Injury Association of New Jersey for sharing this information with us.