A 14-year-old high school girl from Michigan suffered two concussions while playing soccer this fall. The story of the high school freshman demonstrates that concussions are not only prone to sports like football, they are likely to occur outside of contact sports. Her story also demonstrates that young girls are also exposed to the risks of concussions. In this post we will talk about the story of the high school girl, and in our next post we will discuss why girls may be more likely to experience a concussion.
This past September, the 14-year-old girl was playing goalie for a club team in Michigan. As she dove to stop a ball from entering the goal, an opposing player's cleats struck the high school girl in the face. The high school freshman had actually suffered a concussion even though the pain from her face masked it. The 14-year-old saw a doctor and was allowed to return to play. A few weeks later the freshman was playing goalkeeper and was hit in the head again. This time, it was apparent from the sidelines that something was wrong.
The young girl was unconscious and her entire body was shaking. She was transported by ambulance to a hospital where she was diagnosed with a concussion and was later sent home. The first time she got hit in the face, she recovered quickly. More time would be needed to recover from the second concussive hit. At school she had problems speaking clearly to friends and noise and light in the cafeteria agitated her.
The young girl's parents took her to a Neurologist who specialized in treating sports concussions. The Neurologist had concerns about permanent brain damage because brain damage can occur from multiple concussions. He advised the high school freshman that the best way to recover from a concussion is to rest. The 14-year-old gave up soccer and stopped playing her saxophone. She reduced her school work and even stopped texting to friends.
Her Neurologist provided exercises to strengthen her neck and torso so that she would not be as apt to injure herself as severely in the future. The Neurologist also created an exercise plan that would return the 14-year-old back to her full range of activities. Slow walks were first advised and the young girl is now ready for more movement. Her parents say she may be ready for soccer in another year. Next time, we will look at the risk of concussions and the possible greater likelihood of personal injury for females.
Source: NPR, "Parents, Coaches Worry About Concussion Risks," Nancy Shute, 11/29/10