Concussions / Head Injuries
The issue of concussions in sports is of particular importance today. The Board encourages all parents, legal guardians, players and coaches to read the information below to educate themselves and better understand concussion related issues, identify signs and symptoms for concussions, ways to prevent concussions and the need to rest and obtain treatment to resolve these injuries before returning to school and sports related activities.
The problem with concussions is that it is a difficult injury to accurately diagnose. However, as parents, legal guardians, athletes and coaches, we can educate ourselves on recognizing the many signs and symptoms of concussion related injuries.
A concussion is a brain injury that can affect a person’s ability to perform day-to-day activities. Light sensitivity, balance, appetite, sleep, reaction time, concentration and school work may be affected. Some symptoms may appear immediately, but some may take an hour or a day to manifest.
To assist medical personnel in diagnosing a concussion, baseline testing is a valuable tool. Those in public school looking to participate in sports activities are provided baseline testing through the school prior to engaging in sports. Those players attending private school or who have not reached the 7th grade are encouraged to contact their personal doctor and arrange for concussion baseline testing.
RECOGNIZE
Changes in brain functions:- Unaware of game (opposition colors, score of game, last play)
- Confusion
- Amnesia (does not recall events prior to the hit or after the hit)
- Drastic changes in alertness
- Does not know time, place or date
- Slowed responses to questions or conversation
- Decreased attention and concentration
Mental and emotional changes:- Depression
- Anxiety
- Anger
- Irritability
- Emotionally unstable
Physical changes:- Headache
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Unsteadiness/loss of balance
- Feeling “dinged” or stunned or “dazed”
- Seeing stars or flashing lights
- Ringing in the ears
- Double vision
RECOVER
Remove, Evaluate and Rest are key steps to treating a concussion or other head injury in soccer. When a concussion is identified quickly, it prevents the injury from getting worse, and prevents the player from staying off the field for even longer.
Remove
An athlete who experiences a blow to the head or body should immediately be removed for play and should not return to play until he/she is evaluated. When in doubt, the athlete should sit out.
Evaluate
Have a health care professional evaluate the athlete immediately. Do not try to judge the severity of the injury yourself.
Rest
Never rush a return to play. A return to play should only occur after an athlete has been cleared by a medical professional. If you rush the return, a player is at significantly higher risk for more problems in the future.
If a concussion is suspected, the club's concussion protocol must be followed for the individual to return to play.
Concussion fact sheets
For more information: