High School Athletes Continue to Hide Symptoms

High school athletes that play contact sports all know somebody who has sustained a concussion at some point; yet players still make the choice to hide or under-exaggerate their symptoms in order to return to play when they desire. A survey was conducted to 120 athletes that asked questions relating to concussions in sports. 82 athletes reported having concussion symptoms and risks explained to them while 30 athletes reported suffering a concussion themselves. The majority of the high schoolers answered that they

understood that "headaches, dizziness, difficulty with memory, difficulty concentrating and light and sound sensitivity were all risk factors for a concussion after a high-impact hit." Although students indicated they were aware of the risks associated with concussions, more than 50% of the 120 high school players surveyed said they continue to play. The survey indicated that 53% of players said they would “always or sometimes continue to play with a headache sustained from an injury.” Only 54% said they would “always or sometimes report symptoms of a concussion to their coach.”

This is an alarming and chilling statistic; considering that people have lost their lives due to the complications that come along with concussions. Diagnosing concussions among high-impact sports athletes has gained more attention in the past couple years as more research has come out showing issues from concussions from NFL players. Concussions can be hard to diagnose because the symptoms are mainly self-reported, and, in most cases, it is impossible to see a concussion on a CAT scan or MRI. The ultimate fall of these players is their pride and desire to stay in the game when the right thing to do is to watch from the sidelines. We need to change the culture of "being the tough guy" as it applies to concussions. This is not your hand, or your big toe, it is your brain and you only get one. Athletes in every sport need to take it seriously in order to save future lives.

http://healthland.time.com/2013/05/07/high-school-athletes-dont-report-concussion-symptoms/