FHSTheFlash The Flash Volume 54, Issue 1 October 2013 | Page 5

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5

Caution on Concussions
Josephine Morenski
Flash Assistant Editor

According to WebMD,
a concussion is a type of
traumatic brain injury that is
caused by a blow to the head
or body, a fall, or another
injury that jars or shakes
the brain inside the
skull. From professional
athletes to high school
athletes, concussions
are a known fact in the
sports world, with many
athletes suffering from
minor to severe ones.
Here at FHS the athletic
teams are taking precautions this year for all.
Over the summer,
Fraser fall athletes took
a concussion test online.
If a student is injured
throughout their season,
this test is designed to
determine whether or
not the athlete has a
concussion by comparing the test taken in the
summer versus the one
taken after the injury.
Among the many athletes that took the test,
Senior Sarah Baur of the
varsity dance team was
one of the many atheles
that took the test.
“The test was a lot different than I thought; kind
of like a game. You had to
remember things that would
show up. There were different sections testing different
things,” Baur said.
The concussion test is just
one improvement Fraser
is taking with concussions,
in the midst of the many
other improvements are new
policies, verifying all coaches

October 2013, Volume 54, Issue 1

and PE teachers have concussion recognition training, providing training and
educational materials to all
students and their parents,
purchasing the ImPACT
Concussion testing system,
and developing a standardized return to play program

pen at any time, during
any sport. According to the
Athletic Training journal,
High school athletes prolong
an estimated 136 thousand
to 300 thousand concussions
a year; rates vary by sport,
gender, and type of exposure. Football receives the

that uses the Michigan Neurosport Brain protocol.
“There certainly has been
a lot published in the past
couple of years that have
raised the awareness level of
the public and have resulted
in new laws regarding the
recognition, treatment and
return to play guidelines for
student-athletes that have
suffered concussions,” Former Head Athletic Trainer
Marti Van-I said.
A concussion can hap-

highest rate for concussions
followed by boy’s ice hockey.
There are approximately 67
thousand football players
diagnosed with concussions
every day, and at least 50
youth players from around
the United States have died
or sustained a serious injury
to the head. Football players
suffer the most brain damaging injury of any sport.
Now that more coaches and
students understand concussions and their symptoms,

sion rate than boys, and
represent a greater proportion of injuries in girls. It
appears that there is not a
gender difference, but a difference in the sport that is
being played. According to
the winter 2007-2008 Journal of Athletic Training they
suggest that girls in
sports like soccer
and basketball were
more at risk to concussions.
A key role in
preventing a concussion, is properly
knowing what to do
when they occur. To
have the best and
safest results steps
to help prevent a
concussion should
be taken before,
during, and after
the season. Preseason: check with
the league, district,
etc. about policies,
create a concussion
plan, educate athletes, parents, and
coaches, and monitor the health of the
athlete. During the
season: insist that
Fraser Rambler’s football gear. safety comes first,
Photo Credit: Josephine Morenski
teach athletes it’s
not smart to play
athletes are coming forward
with a concussion, prevent
as opposed to hiding their
symptoms. I’m going to take long-term problems by letting the injured athlete rest,
a wild guess and say last
and work closely with the
year there may have been a
league and district officials.
dozen. I only worked as the
Postseason: keep track of the
head athletic trainer for the
concussion, and revie ܁ѡ