Concussions in Sports

We often hear news of professional athletes who have suffered a sports concussion only to return to play and be sidelined with another head injury months or years later.

“Concussions in professional sports are a big issue,” says Dr. Brad Hallam, a neuropsychologist at Vancouver Coastal Health who is also active in the Men's Health Initiative of BC.

“Once someone has suffered one concussion, the chances are pretty great that they're going to suffer a second one. The reasons for that are not known; potentially, some of the reasons are slower reaction times, and not being able to get out of harm's way when it's necessary.”

A concussion occurs as a result of a blow to the head, which causes the brain to move violently within the skull. Sports concussions happen to players of all ages, at all levels of competition. They are very frequent in professional hockey, which is one of the most physical sports. Players are routinely slammed into boards, body-checked by other players, punched, and hit with pucks.

“Concussion or mild traumatic brain injury in hockey players is something that happens fairly regularly,” says Dr. Hallam. “If you watch the NHL, you see these guys who get pressed up against the glass, or maybe fall to the ground and look dazed or lose consciousness.”

Sports concussions are also extremely common in football; a report conducted in 1995-96, based on a survey of 1,094 NFL players ages 27 to 86, found that more than 61% of the athletes had suffered concussions during their playing days.

If a professional athlete suffers a mild traumatic brain injury, he or she will have to abstain from playing until the brain has had a chance to rest and recover. A physician will closely monitor and evaluate the player to make sure the return-to-play process is safe, and will provide medical clearance when they believe that the athlete is ready to fully get back into the game.

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