Adding to the wealth of information in the media recently regarding head injuries, the NY Times joined in with an article on the importance of acting quickly to get head injuries checked out (view "Head Injuries" article).
While serious head injuries are rare in sports (when compared to total numbers of participants each year), when they do happen, every minute counts. In some circles, brain trauma specialists refer to the time between the injury and getting treatment as "brain minutes" with each minute potentially being the difference between life and death.
The NY Times article touches on a number of critical points:
- Helmets do not always prevent concussion, but they are almost 100% effective in preventing skull fractures.
- The evidence in Natasha Richardson's case suggests she fractured her skull during the fall, causing an artery tear and the subsequent brain bleed that led to her death.
- Concussions -- which are the result of a quick acceleration and deceleration (or shaking) of the brain -- are not always caused by head-to-head or head-to-object contact. In some cases, a body-to-body tackle or hard check can cause a concussion as well.
- Anyone who suffers a head injury or exhibits symptoms of concussion should ALWAYS be checked out by a doctor.
Coming up next: In Concussion Update IV, see what lawmakers in the state of Washington are doing to protect kids from Second Impact Syndrome.
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