Concussion Health Article

Prevention

Many cases of concussion can be prevented by using appropriate protective equipment. This includes using seat belts and air bags in automobiles, and wearing helmets in all contact sports. Helmets should also be worn when bicycling, skiing, or horseback riding. Soccer play- ers should avoid heading the ball when it is kicked at high velocity from close range. Playground equipment should be underlaid with soft material, either sand or special matting.

The value of high-contact sports such as boxing, football, or hockey should be weighed against the high risk of brain injury during a young person's participation in the sport. Steering a child's general enthusiasm for sports into activities less apt to produce head impacts may reduce the likelihood of brain injury.

BOOKS

Adams, Raymond D, Victor, Maurice and Ropper, Allan H. Adam's & Victor's Principles of Neurology, 6th ed. New York: McGraw Hill, 1997.

Bailes, Julian E, Lovell, Mark R and Maroon, Joseph C. Sports Related Concussion. St. Louis, MO: Quality Medical Pub, 1998.

Parker, Rolland S. Concussive Brain Trauma: Neurobehavioral Impairment and Maladaptation. Boca Raton, FL: Lewis Publishers, 2000.

Rizzo, Matthew and Tranel, Daniel. Head Injury and Postconcussive Syndrome. London: Churchill Livingstone, 1996.

Wrightston, Philip and Gronwall, D.M.A. Mild Head Injury: A Guide to Management. New York: Oxford, 1999.

PERIODICALS

Bailes, J.E. and Cantu, R.C. "Head Injury in Athletes." Neurosurgery 48(1): 26-45, 2001.

Centers for Disease Control and Injury. Facts about Concussion and Brain Injury and Where to Get Help. Order electronically at: <http://webapp.cdc.gov/IXPRESS/PUBSPROD/NCIPC+BOOK/NCIPC.DML>.

Guskiewicz, K.M., Weaver, N.L., Padua, D.A. and Garrett, W.E. "Epidemiology of concussion in collegiate and high school football players." American Journal of Sports Medicine 28(5): 643-650, 2000.

Maroon, J.C., et al. "Cerebral concussion in athletes: evaluation and neuropsychological testing." Neurosurgery 47(3): 659-669, 2000.

Proctor, M.R. and Cantu, R.C. "Head and neck injuries in young athletes." Clinics in Sports Medicine 19(4): 693-715, 2000.

Reece, R.M. and Sege, R. "Childhood head injuries: accidental or inflicted?" Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine 154(1): 11-15, 2000.

ORGANIZATIONS

American Academy of Neurology, 1080 Montreal Avenue, St. Paul, Minnesota 55116. (651) 695-1940. Fax: (651) 695-2791. <http://www.aan.com>. info@aan.org.

American College of Sports Medicine, 401 W. Michigan St., Indianapolis, IN 46202-3233. (317) 637-9200. Fax: (317) 634-7817. <http://www.acsm.org,> mkeckhaver@acsm.org.

Brain Injury Association, 105 North Alfred Street, Alexandria, VA 22314. (800) 444-6443 or (703) 236-6000. Fax: (703) 236-6001. <http://www.biausa.org/Sportsfs.htm>. prevention@biausa.org.

International Brain Injury Association, 1150 South Washington Street, Suite 210, Alexandria, VA 22314.(703) 683-8400. Fax: (703) 683-8996. <http://www.internationalbrain.org>. info@internationalbrain.org.

National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mailstop F41, 4770 Buford Highway NE, Atlanta, GA 30341-3724. (770) 488-4031. Fax: (770) 488-4 <http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/dacrrdp/tbi.htm>. dardinfo@cdc.gov.

OTHER

American Academy of Family Physicians. <http://www.familydoctor.org/handouts/458.html>.

Head Injury Hotline. <http://www.headinjury.com/faqpcs.htm>.

Pashby Sport Concussion Safety. <http://www.concussionsafety.com/>.

University of California Los Angeles. <http://www.neurosurgery.ucla.edu/Diagnoses/BrainInjury/BrainInjuryDis_6.html>.

University of Missouri Health Center. <http://www.muhealth.org/~neuromedicine/concussion.shtml>.

KEY TERMS

Amnesia—A loss of memory that may be caused by brain injury, such as concussion; the loss may be temporary or permanent.

Contrecoup injury—An injury, usually involving the brain, in which the tissue damage is on the side opposite the site of the trauma.

Parkinson's disease—A neurological disorder that includes a fine tremor, muscular weakness and rigidity, and an altered way of walking.

Tinnitus—A sensation of ringing in the ears in the absence of external sources of noise.

L. Fleming Fallon, Jr., MD, PhD, DrPH