The Sub concussive Blow: How Minor Head Impacts Affect Us
If you follow the NFL, you followed Tua Tagovailoa’s big hit this season, his history of concussions, and his alarming on-field reactions. This is not considered a typical response to a concussion. Many football players (from youth to professional) can play an entire season without sustaining an injury severe enough to be pulled from the game. Many of these athletes, especially a position like a quarterback, may experience what is called repetitive sub-concussive blows or hits to the head. This refers to a head impact that does not necessarily meet the specific clinical criteria to be a diagnosed concussion but still delivers a force to the brain that should be taken seriously. Some of these impacts can happen by direct contact of helmet to helmet, helmet to the ground, or helmet contact with another person or body. Unlike a traditional concussion, these blows don’t usually produce any immediate symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, or confusion. Symptoms may go mostly unnoticed, but in the medical world, we are becoming more focused on the effects of these impacts.
