Because the most-commonly used return-to-play guidelines recommend that an athlete who has suffered multiple concussions be held out of
sports for increasingly longer periods of time, up to and including the
rest of the season, preventing another concussion may be the difference
in the athlete being able to continue playing that season or having to shut his season down.
While athletes sustaining a concussion are at a 3-fold increased risk for future concussions, a risk that increases with each subsequent injury, unlike musculoskelatal injuries, few strength and conditioning methods will help prevent further concussions. This does not mean, however, that no preventative methods can be taken to minimize recurrence of concussions and other head injuries.
In an article by three certified athletic trainers in the July-September 2001 special issue of the Journal of Athletic Training devoted to concussions in athletes, the authors suggest that reviewing game or practice films may "help reveal poor techniques, such as leading with the head to tackle or block or heading a soccer ball incorrectly," and that "reviewing the tape with the athlete and the coach may be useful in improving the athlete's technique or changing the coach's teaching methods."
The following sports-specific measures should be taken to prevent concussions and reduce the number of fatalities and catastrophic injuries in school sports:
Please share your questions, comments and stories with us. All information is kept confidential. Please send an email to editors@momsteam.com [6]
Want to discuss this article or have a question answered? Join us in the forums [7]!
Links:
[1] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/535
[2] http://kevindare.com/
[3] http://www.astm.org/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/STORE/filtrexx40.cgi?U mystore ajyo9257 -L POLE:VAULTING:HELMETS /usr6/htdocs/astm.org/DATABASE.CART/REDLINE_PAGES/F2400.htm
[4] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/2460
[5] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/881
[6] mailto:editors@momsteam.com
[7] https://mail.momsteam.com/forums
[8] https://mail.momsteam.com/users/robert-cantu
[9] https://mail.momsteam.com/sports/football-safety-prevention-catastrophic-injuries
[10] https://mail.momsteam.com/sports/preventing-head-injuries-in-skiing
[11] https://mail.momsteam.com/sports/football-tackle/safety/youth-football-safety-proper-equipment-a-key-to-prevention-of-injury
[12] https://mail.momsteam.com/sports/four-spirit-rules-changes-stress-risk-minimization
[13] https://mail.momsteam.com/sports/diving/safety/recreational-and-competitive-diving-pose-substantial-risks-new-study-says