Injuries are prevalent throughout sports, ranging from torn ACL’s to broken bones, but no injury is more common than the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), also known as the concussion.
Concussions are becoming a more frequent occurrence in all levels of athletics.
High school athletes are experiencing more brain and head related injuries, whether they are in football, cheerleading, or any other sport. At Trinity Prep, this statistic is no different. With the frequency of these brain related injuries increasing, Trinity Prep administration has taken a number of steps to raise awareness of this new epidemic.
According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control), a concussion is defined as “a type of traumatic brain injury caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head that can change the way your brain normally works.” When the brain or head is hit the impact causes the brain to move and bounce off the other side of the skull. With hard enough hits, the brain can literally shake within the skull.
Such impacts not only damage the brain physically, but chemically. Axons connecting to neurons tear causing numerous problems including memory loss, mood, personality, and loss of motor skills. Concussions essentially destroy the wiring of your brain, which is why athletes become more susceptible to head injuries after their first blow.
In order to combat the growing number of head incidents, all athletes were either required or strongly recommended to have tests done before they participated in fall sports. All contact sports, including diving, were told to take the imPACT test (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing). This scientific mumbo-jumbo translates into a baseline score that can be used as a comparison after an injury is sustained.
Trinity Prep athletic trainer Jeff Ferroglia has seen the number of reported traumatic brain injuries go up in recent months. He believes the sudden jump in cases is due to “an increase in diagnosis,” thanks to the use of ImPACT testing. Ferroglia says, “ImPACT has increased parent, player, and coach awareness.” Almost every week, you can find a fellow Trinity Prep athlete in the trainer’s room taking re-assessment tests.
Last year, the cheerleading squad had a major scare when then-junior Mikalya Hicks fell during a routine stunt. Hicks hit her head on the descent and suffered a minor concussion. What was thought to be just a mild head injury turned out to be a major condition which sidelined Hicks for four months. It is thought that females are more prone to concussions than their male counterparts possibly because of weaker neck muscles, but studies have been inconclusive.
Hicks explained that it felt “like fireworks going off in my head,” and she wasn’t able to attend school for two weeks.
Most recently, senior Brey Torrey of the football team suffered a concussion that not only kept him out of his last couple games, but also jeopardized his chance to dance in the Senior Powderpuff.
Concussions are a growing issue in athletics across America. Football, boys lacrosse, and girls field hockey have seen the biggest jump in reported cases. According to the CDC, from 2001-2009 Traumatic Brain Injuries have increased by 57%, which are likely to be because of increased awareness and education.
The facts can’t be denied: concussions and other head injuries are a growing issue, and steps like imPACT testing and player/parent education need to be raised.
