Concussion Rates Across Sports
Leave a CommentApproximately 3.8 million sport-related concussions occur every year in the United States. The CDC estimated that 5-10% of athletes will get a concussion in any given sports season. The majority of these concussions tend to take place during competition rather than practice. The risk of concussion tends to vary between genders and depends on the sport being played.
Concussions are caused by TBI’s (traumatic brain injuries), which occur when the brain is jostled inside the skull, causing trauma to the brain. Based on the definition it is unsurprising that there is a much higher risk of injury in contact sports than in non-contact sports. In fact, contact sports such as football, basketball, and soccer account for 45% of all emergency department visits for sports-related concussions among children 17 and under. According to a recent update from the CDC, the top 10 sports with the highest youth rates of concussion are:
- Boys Tackle Football
- Girls Soccer
- Boys Lacrosse
- Boys Ice Hockey
- Boys Wrestling
- Girls Lacrosse
- Girls Field Hockey
- Girls Basketball
- Boys Soccer
- Girls Softball
It is estimated that 90% of athletes will become symptom-free within 10 days. At that point, they should begin a return-to-sport protocol with their sports athletic trainer and seek clearance from their physician to return to play. For athletes with persistent symptoms, however, concussion and vestibular physical therapy may be warranted to help them get back to feeling normal and return to sport.
Athletico has many vestibular and concussion specialists who can help you or your athlete reduce symptoms and get back to playing sports quickly. Our team creates a custom treatment plan to help address and improve functional activities such as reading, processing information, and head/eye movements.
Athletes trying to return to participation (RTP) in sports following a concussion may benefit from our concussion management and RTP programs. These programs are designed to reduce and manage post-concussion symptoms to help patients return to work, school, and play. If you or your athlete have sustained a concussion, seek medical attention immediately. Athletico offers free assessments in-person and virtually through our telehealth platform.
*Per federal guidelines, beneficiaries of plans such as Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, VHA and other federally funded plans are not eligible for free assessments.
The Athletico blog is an educational resource written by Athletico employees. Athletico bloggers are licensed professionals who abide by the code of ethics outlined by their respective professional associations. The content published in blog posts represents the opinion of the individual author based on their expertise and experience. The content provided in this blog is for informational purposes only, does not constitute medical advice and should not be relied on for making personal health decisions.
References:
1. https://www.cdc.gov/heads-up/data/index.html#:~:text=Contact%20sports%2C%20including%20football%2C%20basketball,children%20ages%2017%20and%20under.
2. https://www.uofmhealth.org/conditions-treatments/brain-neurological-conditions/concussion-athletes-neurosport
