Concussion repercussions in high school sports
The hard hits in youth sports are having an impact on state legislation.
Lawmakers and sports officials here in Kern County aren’t hesitating to take a child out of a game if they get a concussion.
Starting this January, parents will have to sign a concussion consent form acknowledging what a concussion is.
But an athlete getting their bell rung and shaking it off is becoming a thing of the past as doctors analyze the repercussions of concussions.
Heavy hits in high school sports are nothing new. According to the Kern High School District, 45 student-athletes have suffered from concussions in the district this year.
Huge hits used to be rewarded with high-fives.
Now, leading a hit with the helmet in the NFL results in penalties and even fines.
But these devastating hits aren’t exclusive to the pros.
High school student-athletes who get concussions often face long term consequences.
“You may move on and drop out, they may just fail, they may have to do a number of things differently. It certainly has an impact,” said Director of Rehabilitation at the Centre for Neuro Skills Chris Persel.
Persel described how these hard hits affect the brain.
“The brain is held within the hard skull and is suspended in fluid. As it moves and stops suddenly, lets say a running back is running and hits head on into a lineman, it’s going to stop quickly. That brain is going to move and it may hit up against the bony skull on the inside.”
That collision can result in swelling and tearing of neural tissue – causing permanent damage. The injuries can be compounded if the athlete isn’t removed from the game.
Helmet to helmet tests by Purdue University registered forces at 289 times the force of gravity.
Researchers say concussions happen at just 80 times the force of gravity.
“If you suspect someone of a concussion, they’re out of that game they cannot return to that game,” said Kern High School District Director of School Support Services Stan Greene.
He says the district takes blows to the head seriously and that the rules don’t apply to just football.
“Fact is there’s actually more concussions in other sports,” he said.
Greene says parents have been cooperative for the most part, but stresses that parents who protest the idea of taking their child out of the game need to put their child’s health first. He says concussion regulations are already in place. If a child is suspected of a concussion, they cannot return to play and cannot compete again until a medical form is signed off by a doctor
The number of reported concussions in youth sports has risen 60 percent in nine years indicating that it’s being reported more often. Greene says the next step is technologically advanced helmets that deliver impact data in real-time to coaches. There are no immediate plans to bring those helmets to the KHSD.