Why are concussions so prevalent in soccer? What can we do to prevent them from occurring in soccer? By: Jenna Madden Period: 5

What is a concussion? A concussion is “a clinical syndrome characterized by immediate and transient alteration in brain function, including alteration of mental status and level of consciousness, resulting from mechanical force or trauma.”

Severity of Concussions Concussions are graded as mild (grade 1), moderate (grade 2), or severe (grade 3), depending on such factors as loss of consciousness, amnesia, and loss of equilibrium Grade 1: symptoms last for less than 15 minutes. There is no loss of consciousness. Grade 2: there is no loss of consciousness but symptoms last longer than 15 minutes. Grade 3: the person loses consciousness, sometimes just for a few seconds.

Prevalence According to the University of Pittsburgh’s Brain Trauma Research Center: More than 300,000 sports-related concussions occur annually in the United States The likelihood of suffering a concussion while playing a contact sport is estimated to be as high as 19 percent per year of play More than 62,000 concussions are sustained each year in high school contact sports Soccer is the most common sport with concussion risk for females (50% chance for concussion)

Why are concussions so popular among soccer players? Abrupt starts and stops Running very fast and then stopping all of the sudden can cause the brain to slam into the skull Fast pace Moving quickly and focused intently on the ball, and less likely to notice their surroundings- may run into another player or trip over their feet Specific motions Heading the ball, throwing your body into the ‘header motion’ will create a greater force and possible chance of hitting the ground hard Getting hit with a ball The faster the ball flies at the head or face of a player, the more dangerous it can be

Symptoms of concussions Thinking and remembering Not able to concentrate or remember new information Not thinking clearly/ feeling slowed down Physical Headache, blurry vision, vomiting, nausea Sensitivity to light, balance problems, feeling lethargic Sleep Sleeping more or less than normal Having a hard time falling asleep Emotional Easily angered, sad, nervous, anxious

Treatment of concussions Depends on the severity of the concussion but some common treatments include: Seeing a doctor Staying in a hospital to be watched Monitored at home for warning signs/ changes in behavior Rest; avoiding work

Prevention of concussions Officials may need to call a closer game avoiding play from becoming too rough Goal posts should be padded Balls should be inflated properly Players should be instructed properly on heading a ball Possible headgear can be worn to give extra padding on a player’s head