Reports are coming out of the Canadian province of Ontario indicating that the incidence of head injuries has gone up. Between the years 2003 and 2010, numbers of young people turning up in hospitals for concussion treatment in Toronto went up 50 percent. While this may be an indication that parents are becoming better informed about the risk of head injury, the increase is still cause for concern.
The Mayo Clinic defines concussion as a trauma to the head that causes changes in brain function. These changes may be expressed in the form of memory loss, problems with coordination and balance, headache or difficulties in concentration. Even a seemingly innocuous head injury can cause lasting damage to the brain. Concussions are most commonly the result of a severe blow to the head, although they may also be a consequence of violent or prolonged shaking of the upper torso and head.
The symptoms of concussion may be very subtle and may not present themselves for days, weeks or even months after the injury. They include loss of memory, headache and confusion. They may also include slurred speech, nausea and vomiting, ringing in the ears, seeing stars or a feeling of pressure inside the head. Toddlers and children may become irritable or cranky, cry excessively, display altered eating and/or sleeping patterns or lose interest in their favorite toys.
An adrenalin-fueled sports player is likely to insist on getting back in the game after suffering a blow to the head, especially if they do not perceive the knock as serious. This can be a big mistake, as players can become severely disabled or even die if they do not receive treatment.
Concussions are particularly common in people who participate in contact sports. Hockey players are in a particularly high-risk group. Bodychecking is a defensive maneuver in which the player forcibly drives his shoulder, hip, elbow and upper arm into an opponent. According to the rules, this move is only legal when carried out against the player who has control of the puck.
In 2010, bodychecking involving the player's head or blind side was prohibited; this was to reduce the worrying numbers of concussions involving youngsters. To date, it does not appear to be working; rates of concussion are higher than ever. What is particularly alarming is that female players are suffering more concussions than male players. This is very odd because women's hockey does not permit bodychecking in any form.
This disturbing trend is not seen only in the college and pro sports. According to pee wee coaches, little girls of 9 and 10 years old are receiving large numbers of knocks to the head. This increase is not limited to hockey players, either. It happens in other sports.
There is a chief neurosurgeon at a major hospital in Massachusetts who thinks that the reason for this disproportionate increase in concussions could indicate that women are more susceptible than their male counterparts and that more research is needed. Alternatively, it could be that women are not training their neck muscles as much as men do, or that they are more open about reporting such injuries.
The Mayo Clinic defines concussion as a trauma to the head that causes changes in brain function. These changes may be expressed in the form of memory loss, problems with coordination and balance, headache or difficulties in concentration. Even a seemingly innocuous head injury can cause lasting damage to the brain. Concussions are most commonly the result of a severe blow to the head, although they may also be a consequence of violent or prolonged shaking of the upper torso and head.
The symptoms of concussion may be very subtle and may not present themselves for days, weeks or even months after the injury. They include loss of memory, headache and confusion. They may also include slurred speech, nausea and vomiting, ringing in the ears, seeing stars or a feeling of pressure inside the head. Toddlers and children may become irritable or cranky, cry excessively, display altered eating and/or sleeping patterns or lose interest in their favorite toys.
An adrenalin-fueled sports player is likely to insist on getting back in the game after suffering a blow to the head, especially if they do not perceive the knock as serious. This can be a big mistake, as players can become severely disabled or even die if they do not receive treatment.
Concussions are particularly common in people who participate in contact sports. Hockey players are in a particularly high-risk group. Bodychecking is a defensive maneuver in which the player forcibly drives his shoulder, hip, elbow and upper arm into an opponent. According to the rules, this move is only legal when carried out against the player who has control of the puck.
In 2010, bodychecking involving the player's head or blind side was prohibited; this was to reduce the worrying numbers of concussions involving youngsters. To date, it does not appear to be working; rates of concussion are higher than ever. What is particularly alarming is that female players are suffering more concussions than male players. This is very odd because women's hockey does not permit bodychecking in any form.
This disturbing trend is not seen only in the college and pro sports. According to pee wee coaches, little girls of 9 and 10 years old are receiving large numbers of knocks to the head. This increase is not limited to hockey players, either. It happens in other sports.
There is a chief neurosurgeon at a major hospital in Massachusetts who thinks that the reason for this disproportionate increase in concussions could indicate that women are more susceptible than their male counterparts and that more research is needed. Alternatively, it could be that women are not training their neck muscles as much as men do, or that they are more open about reporting such injuries.
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