Text Size

Health

Conditions | Sports Concussion

Millions of children participate in competitive and recreational sporting activities every year. Dealing with injuries that occur as a result of these activities is to be expected.

Learn More About Sports Concussion

Need to know more about how a sports concussion will affect you or someone you care for? Learn all the basics here:

     » Introduction to Sports Concussion
     » Sports Concussion Evaluation
     » Sports Concussion Recovery
     » Sports Concussion Treatment

Live Forward with a Sports Concussion

Therapy without Walls: TBI Winter Sports Camp

The four guys are sitting around talking about their day on the slopes and swapping military stories...

» Read More

Introduction

Mechanism of Injury

Recognition of Signs and Symptoms

Evaluation

Recovery

Treatment

Long Term Complications

Summary

Mechanism of Injury

by David R. Wiercisiewski, MD

The concussion injury can occur either from a direct blow to the head or from a significant hit to the torso causing a whiplash or impulsive type of head movement. Direct blows can be caused by helmet-to-helmet hits, collisions between players, or unprotected falls to the ground. All concussion injuries are felt to be related to problems of function of the nerve cell and the blood vessels in the brain. These problems do not show up on x-rays, CT scans, or MRI imaging studies. Usually the abnormalities caused at the nerve cell and blood vessel level from a concussion improve over 7-10 days but can take longer in some cases.

concussion