Traumatic brain injury (TBI) in sports are usually a result of physical contact with another person or stationary object,[1] These sports may include boxing, gridiron football, field/ice hockey, lacrosse, martial arts, rugby, soccer, wrestling, auto racing, cycling, equestrian, rollerblading, skateboarding, skiing or snowboarding.
[4] A concussion is defined as a stunning, damaging, or shattering effect from a hard blow; especially: a jarring injury of the brain resulting in disturbance of cerebral function.
The first initial assessment that should take place with every athlete found to be unconscious after head or neck trauma is the "ABC's" (airway, breathing, and circulation).
[9] Many major professional sports organizations like the NFL, NHL, MLB and NBA have taken stronger looks at in game concussions through extensive studies to develop safer equipment and playing conditions for the players.
The NFL has adopted a standardized testing evaluation form based on the SCAT2 that it has implemented into all head and neck trauma incidents.
"The new implementations include a focused screening neurological examination to exclude cervical spine and intracranial bleeding, assessment of orientation, immediate and delayed recall, concentration, as well as a balance evaluation.
"[11] Similarly, in 2011, the NHL adopted a new league-wide concussion protocol which would remove players from the bench, who may have possibly sustained head or neck trauma, and bring them back to an undisclosed quiet room.
A study led by Marc Weisskopf, Cecil K., and Philip Drinker Professor of Environmental Epidemiology and Physiology at the Harvard Chan School looked at 6,000 athletes between the years of 1979 and 2013.
[14] Other common short-term effects include dizziness, vomiting, nausea, sensitivity to light and sound, irritability, cognitive lapses and memory impairment.
[6] Team GB Olympic Champion cyclist, Victoria Pendleton, expressed her extreme relief of retirement after the London Games, citing that she couldn't wait to go on to new ventures in her life and was much happier now that the pressure of competing was no longer a burden.
However, not all athletes will enter retirement with such ease and willingness, many will struggle with adapting to a "regular life" where they are no longer in the limelight and perhaps in their eyes, become forgotten members of society.
Sports career termination induces dramatic changes in athletes' personal, social and occupational lives, this can in turn potentially affect individuals cognitively, emotionally and behaviorally.
The increasing development and standardization of helmets along with rule changes that would protect players, would eventually cut down on head and neck traumas.
[16] In 2012 testing was conducted on a new type of helmet which battles rotational acceleration which is linked closer to concussions than typical impacts.
[18] The force of the blow causes either a tearing or twisting of the structure and blood vessels which hinders the ability of the receptors to send feedback to the brain.
Doctors ringside monitor a boxer's attitude and brain function throughout the fight and are able to stop the match following startling news.
A common symptom is prolonged unconsciousness (coma), however this player reports headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and weakness of the extremities (paresis) and makes inappropriate responses to questions.
This process requires the patient to be admitted into an intinsive care unity with close monitoring of blood levels and brain activity.
These improvements reduce the risk of cerebral contusions by providing more padding around the skull and a chin strap that keeps the helmet snug.
Since the company Rawlings' new design, helmets can withstand a velocity of 100 mph and have further padding around the softer parts on the side of the skull.
Dementia Pugilistica, more commonly known as "Punch Drunk Syndrome", is a degenerative brain disorder resulting from head trauma.
"[36] Multiple studies have concluded that there is neurological evidence of damage to pyramidal, extrapyramidal and cerebellar systems with associated psychosis, memory loss or dementia, personality change and social instability.
[37] After fighting, boxers show raised cerebrospinal fluid levels of neurofilament light chain and total tau then they did after three months with no boxing.
[42] Injuries commonly occur during contact sport such as boxing, football, basketball, motor cycling, scuba diving, mountaineering, hang gliding, skydiving, and horseback riding.
An extradural hematoma is a TBI where blood collects between the inside of the skull and the dura, the thick outer covering of the brain.
If untreated epidural hematoma causes increased blood pressure, shortness of breath, damage to brain function and may result in death.
Hematomas may not show the full extent of the problem initially after the head injury, but it may be revealed after comprehensive medical evaluation and diagnostic test.
[47] A large hematoma larger than 1 cm at its thickest point produces severe headaches and brain function deterioration requires immediate surgery by a neurosurgeon.
Factors such as elevated intracranial pressure, increased patients age, and abnormal GCS results lead to a poor prognosis.
To reduce the risk of hematomas, factors to avoid are taking anticoagulant medication (blood thinners, such as aspirin), long-term abuse of alcohol, repeated falls, and reoccurring head injury.