In late October, an extensive report about sports-related concussions in young people was released by the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council. The report made conclusive recommendations to include:
- Bolstering research
- Collecting data
- Examining injury protocols
- Educating the public
Culture of Resistance among Players
However, the report also pointed out one particularly stubborn issue: the “culture of resistance” among high school and college athletes, many of whom are more inclined to shrug off a head injury and return immediately to play. The report explained:
“There is still a culture among athletes that resists both the self-reporting of concussions and compliance with appropriate concussion management plans.”
Dr. Frederick P. Rivara is a pediatrician at the University of Washington’s Seattle Children’s Hospital and a vice chairman of the committee that produced the report. He said:
“It’s a culture where the idea is to man up, to not let your teammates or coach down, and play with your symptoms. Because concussions are not graphic, like a bloodied nose or a broken leg, players hide their symptoms and continue to play.”
Concussions, also known as mild traumatic brain injuries (TBI), can vary and their prognosis depends on age, location and force of the injury, as well as a few other, less quantifiable factors. Most damage from a concussion heals within a few weeks, but more severe cases can have long-term complications, including: problems with memory, mental processing, and concentration. If an athlete incurs a second concussion before the first one has healed, the consequences may be compounded. A player who suffers multiple concussions is highly prone to long-term consequences later in life.
The report authors noted that educating athletes about concussions is one thing, but changing the attitudes of a “tough player” culture that values playing through pain is quite another.
Cincinnati Study’s Upsetting Results
This past May, a small study of 119 high school football players by doctors at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center found:
- Over 75 percent could properly identify the symptoms of a concussion.
- 92 percent of the players were aware they risked serious injury if they returned to the field too soon after a concussion.
- Only 54 percent said they would report any traumatic brain injury or concussion symptoms to their coach.
- 53 percent said that even if they had a headache from an injury, they would continue to play.
Attitudes May Be Changing Slowly
Awareness about the potential seriousness of concussions, particularly on younger, still-developing brains, has increased notably over the last few years. Now, many states have baseline legislation mandating concussion education for athletes and coaches. Many high schools in Florida and Texas also implement concussion baseline testing each season for all student athletes.
Dustin J. Fink, an athletic trainer who supervises a dozen sports at Mt. Zion High School, in Illinois, commented on how he had begun to see a noticeable change in the culture in recent years. Before, when he pulled a student from a game because of a concussion, he said, parents and other coaches would tell him, “What do you know? It’s no big deal!” Now, more regularly, he’s told, “Thank you, we’ll get it checked out.”
References:
