Recovery from mild concussion in high school athletes

Abstract

High school athletes who had suffered mild concussion demonstrated significant declines in memory processes relative to a noninjured control group. Statistically significant differences between preseason and postinjury memory test results were still evident in the concussion group at 4 and 7 days postinjury. Self-reported neurological symptoms such as headache, dizziness, and nausea resolved by Day 4. Duration of on-field mental status changes such as retrograde amnesia and posttraumatic confusion was related to the presence of memory impairment at 36 hours and 4 and 7 days postinjury and was also related to slower resolution of self-reported symptoms. The results of this study suggest that caution should be exercised in returning high school athletes to the playing field following concussion. On-field mental status changes appear to have prognostic utility and should be taken into account when making return-to-play decisions following concussion. Athletes who exhibit on-field mental status changes for more than 5 minutes have longer-lasting postconcussion symptoms and memory decline.

Consensus Statement on Concussion in Sport – the 3rd International Conference on Concussion in Sport held in Zurich, November 2008

“…(67, 82, 83) Published evidence suggests that the nature, burden and duration of the clinical post-concussive symptoms may be more important than the presence or duration of amnesia alone. (80,84,85) Further it must be noted that retrograde amnesia varies with the time of measurement post-injury and hence is poorly reflective of injury severity. (86,87) …”

Head-Impact–Measurement Devices: A Systematic Review

“…9 This metabolic disruption lasts about a week, mirroring the timeline of clinical symptom recovery. 10,11 In animal models, researchers 12 have demonstrated that a second concussion during this period of brain vulnerability creates greater metabolic and cognitive impairment for a longer time. Similar findings of vulnerability and impaired recovery have also been shown in male athletes.…”

“Ref, Is This the Final?” Concussion Issues at the 2014 FIFA Men’s World Cup: A Case Study

“…Since the diagnosis and management of sports-related concussions have often depended on an athlete's self-report of concussive symptoms the athlete may expose themselves to increased future harm. This information is amplified as other studies have indicated that being dependent the athlete to report of concussion symptoms may result in increasing the likelihood of future significant brain injury (Kelly & Rosenberg, 1997;Lovell et al, 2003).…”