Did You Know?
DID YOU KNOW?
- A concussion is the most common type of brain injury sustained in sports.
- Most concussions do NOT involve loss of consciousness.
- You can sustain a concussion even if you do NOT hit your head. An indirect blow elsewhere on the body can transmit an “impulsive” force to the head and cause a concussion to the brain.
- Multiple concussions can have cumulative and long lasting life changes.
- Concussions typically do NOT appear in neuroimaging studies such as MRI or CAT Scans.
- An estimated 1.6-3.8 million sports- and recreation-related concussions occur in the United States each year.
- During 2001-2005, children and youth ages 5–18 years accounted for 2.4 million sports-related emergency department (ED) visits annually, of which 6% (135,000) involved a concussion.
- Of the 1.4 million traumatic brain injuries sustained by children and adults in the United States each year, at least 75% are mild and/or concussions.
- Among children and youth ages 5–18 years, the five leading sports or recreational activities, which account for concussions, include bicycling, football, basketball, playground activities, and soccer.
