Winter 2023 | Page 48

A Soccer Coach ’ s Guide to Concussion
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HEAD ’ S UP !

A Soccer Coach ’ s Guide to Concussion
ROBERT ELBIN , ANTHONY KONTOS , TRACEY COVASSIN //
There are approximately 300,000 sport-related concussions that occur every year in the U . S . Although sports like football , rugby and ice hockey receive more attention for concussion , studies show that soccer players are also at risk for concussion . In fact , it is estimated that 6 % of high school and 5 % of college soccer players have a concussion every year in the U . S . Therefore , it is important for soccer coaches to be able to recognize concussion and its potential effects on their players . The purpose of this article is to provide a brief overview of concussion for soccer coaches . Given the recent development and marketing of protective headgear in soccer , a second purpose of this article is to discuss the effectiveness of such products in reducing concussion .
What Is a Concussion ?
A concussion can occur when a player ’ s head directly contacts an opponent , the ball , the goal posts or the ground . A concussion can also occur without direct contact when a player ’ s head comes to an abrupt halt ( like a “ whiplash ”) causing the brain to rebound off , or twist inside of the skull . This type of concussion has an effect similar to the yolk of an egg crashing against the inside of the eggshell when shaken — except the skull is not smooth like the inside of an eggshell . The resulting forces can damage blood vessels and neurons , resulting in swelling and bleeding in the brain . However , unlike a sprained ankle , which has a fairly predictable set of progressive and visible symptoms , a concussion involves the brain , which is much more complex and , unlike the ankle , is not visible . In fact , some researchers have begun referring to concussion as the “ invisible injury .”
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of a Concussion ?
The complexity of the brain and the location of the injury combine to create a wide variety of symptoms , cognitive impairments and performance difficulties . The wide variety of symptoms and impairments from a concussion are presented in Table 1 . The signs and symptoms that a player experiences following a concussion are influenced by the area of the brain that was affected . For example , a player who goes up for a flick-on header and strikes the back of his head ( an area of the brain responsible for vision ) on the defending player ’ s forehead may experience visual symptoms such as blurry or double vision or sensitivity to light .
Researchers have examined these symptoms and cognitive impairments to understand and predict recovery from concussion . One symptom that has been associated with concussion is being knocked out or loss of consciousness ( LOC ). A common misconception is that an athlete must have LOC to have a concussion . However , only about 6-10 % of all concussions involve LOC . Players are more likely to experience headache , dizziness , confusion , disorientation and memory loss from a concussion . Coaches should become familiar with the signs and symptoms in Table 1 to better recognize potential concussions in their players . The presence of any of these symptom ’ s warrants holding a player out of practice or a game .
Concussion Reporting
The sports medicine professional is responsible for diagnosing , managing and making critical return-to-play decisions
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