At the close of the last decade, recent data reported an increase of Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) resulting from sports and recreational activities. Recent reports have gained the attention of the medical community and brain trauma specialists. Known lawsuits against the NFL and confirmed suicides among prominent retired players have fostered close scrutiny of the dangers of concussions and other traumatic brain injuries in sports.
While an overall increase in traumatic brain injuries has been documented, the largest percentage of TBI related emergency room visits is made up of young people age 19 and below. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recently cited data showing that while sports-related TBI fatalities were on the decline, incidences of the injuries themselves increased by 60% from 2001 to 2009. The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) further confirmed this data by reporting an estimated 446,788 emergency room visits due to sports-related head injuries. Updated statistics from 2009 to 2012 is expected to be forthcoming.
Sports-Related Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Statistics
In total, traumatic brain injuries (primarily concussions) in the year 2009 resulted in approximately $76.5 billion in costs – inclusive of diagnoses, treatment, and missed days of work. The number is estimated to have increased in the years since.
Based on the 2009 CDC and AANS reports, the top four sports/activities experiencing the greatest margin of increased traumatic brain injuries (from 2008 to 2009) are listed here:
- Water Sports* – 11,239 to 28,716
- Cycling – 70,802 to 85,389
- Baseball/Softball – 26,964 to 38,394
- Basketball – 27,583 to 34,692
*Water Sports represents an inclusive group of water-related activities and equipment associated with pools such as diving, diving board/platforms, water slides, water skiing, boating, and pool toys.
According to additional AANS data, the top 10 sports-related head injuries (shown with the number of reported cases in 2009) among children ages 14 and younger are as follows:
- Cycling: 40,272
- Football: 21,878
- Baseball and Softball: 18,246
- Basketball: 14,952
- Skateboards/Scooters: 14,783
- Water Sports: 12,843
- Soccer: 8,392
- Powered Recreational Vehicles: 6,818
- Winter Sports: 6,750
- Trampolines: 5,025
More Efforts are Required to Increase Traumatic Brain Injury Awareness
Medical professionals believe more can be done to help reverse this upward trend experienced in the past decade. The CDC offered up one suggestion in pointing out that recent initiatives geared toward promoting highway safety have helped to reduce car crash fatalities stemming from brain injury victims in the same time period (2001 to 2009). Funding allocated toward a national, multi-year campaign aimed at sports-related brain injury awareness may have similar effects.
As the growing NFL lawsuits draw more public attention to the dangers of concussions and TBI, more can be done to expand education among coaches, parents, and players in preventing, recognizing, and treating traumatic brain injuries. Awareness, use of proper equipment, and safer techniques must all be pushed to a higher echelon of daily practice and reinforcement.
Traumatic brain injury is not a matter for football players alone and gone are the days of “walking it off.” The key to safer play and recreation lies in stronger awareness and immediate recognition when an unavoidable injury does take place.
References:
DISC Sports and Spine Center – CDC Details Dramatic Increase in Brain Trauma Related ER Visits
American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) – Sports Related Head Injury –
