It’s Peak Time For Brain Injuries!
When the weather gets warmer, more people naturally head outside. While you may be enjoying the summer, it is also, unfortunately, a time when brain injuries may occur. There are many sports and activities that increase your chances of having an accident and suffering from a brain injury.
For those who love the outdoors and families with kids who may be involved in sports, it is important to note that the increased chances are there. The key is to be aware of the symptoms of a brain injury so that you can get yourself or your loved medical attention.
What Types of Sports Increase Your Chances of Brain Injuries?
While many people associate a brain injury with a car accident, there are many sports that can lead to a person suffering the same type of injury. These are mostly going to be sports that have a high amount of physical contact involved with them. Here is a list of the sports most commonly known to cause brain injuries in players:
- Football
- Soccer
- Baseball/Softball
- Rugby
- Hockey
- Gymnastics/Cheerleading
These sports are known for being more physical, meaning that people are often running, jumping and catching balls that can easily cause an accident. However, even other sedentary types of sports life golf can increase the chances of suffering from a brain injury.
According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, the top ten sports that have been known to result in a brain injury ranked in terms of how dangerous they are:
- Cycling
- Football
- Baseball/Softball
- Basketball
- Skateboards/Scooters
- Water Sports
- Soccer
- Powered ATV’s
- Winter Sports like skiing
- Trampolines
And many of these sports are going to be played and participated in during the summertime. This is why the summertime is one time in which people and families should be well aware of the risks and what they can do in order to lower their chances of suffering from a traumatic brain injury.
Other Summer Time Activities that Could Result in Brain Injuries
While sports are the main big thing that often causes a brain injury, there are other summertime activities that can result in some types of brain injuries. These include the following:
- Horseback riding: Due to the height of horses and what the rider may be doing, this can cause a severe brain injury if a fall occurs.
- Swimming: Especially if the person is diving.
- Hiking: This happens if the person were to fall while hiking trails. This is why people need to be aware of what their experience level is and always be careful while out hiking.
Also, remember that the heat can be a leading cause of a brain injury. It is important that those who are going to be out in the heat stay hydrated.
Heatstroke is a real thing that can lead to a damaging brain injury if not treated properly! Everyone should be encouraged to drink water on a hot day.
Only do strenuous activities during the cooler parts of the day and take frequent breaks to cool down.
How to Prevent Brain Injuries
When it comes to summertime sports and outdoor activities, there are some things that you can do in order to decrease your chances of being inflicted with a brain injury.
One of the best things that you can do is to use safety equipment that is standard for the sport or outdoor activity that you are playing.
For example, wear helmets and pads while playing football; wear a helmet while cycling; be aware of where the ball is while playing those sports that use a ball.
A Few Other Tips to Mention:
- Coaches and adults should limit the amount of physical contact that a person comes into contact with during practice. This can greatly decrease the percentage of times a person is in the position to suffer a brain injury.
- All coaches and parents should be aware of the signs of a concussion which is often the type of brain injury that is seen. Through knowing the signs, you can sideline the player to ensure that the damage is not made worse.
- For those in cheerleading, they are going to find that they should always practice on a soft surface. Mats should be used during practices so that the chances of a brain injury are decreased. Most studies show that cheerleaders suffer more brain injuries during practice as stunts are first tried and routines are perfected.
- Football players should be taught how to avoid hits to the head.
- In soccer, heading (where the ball is hit with the head) should be limited to certain ages. Those kids who are under the age of 11 should not be hitting the soccer ball with their head at all. While older kids should be limited as to when and if they do this.
When it comes to brain injury prevention in sports, the helmet in major contact sports is going to be the main defense.
This means ensuring that the helmet each person wears is up to the par, fits well and is designed to be used in that particular sport.
In addition, most sports, when played by the rules will help to discourage brain injuries from happening. For example, no helmet to helmet contact in any sport is allowed, which when performed can be one trigger for a brain injury.
Symptoms of a Brain Injury
Now we know which sports can cause a brain injury and what to do in order to prevent a brain injury. Knowing the symptoms of a brain injury is just as important for parents, coaches, and others.
When symptoms are shown, the sport or activity should be ceased until the player has been given the all-clear to continue.
The Symptoms of a Brain Injury May Include:
- Losing consciousness for some time
- Double or blurred vision
- Slurred speech
- Headache
- The pupils may not dilate as they normally do
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- The person may behave differently
- They may seem lethargic or as though they are spaced out
- The person may be drowsy
These symptoms are signs that a brain injury has occurred. This may be a concussion, or it could be more significant, which is why the player will need to get immediate medication attention.
A brain injury is not something that you want to mess around with. If a person starts to show symptoms, get them medical attention immediately. While summertime does increase your chances of having a brain injury, this does not mean that you should avoid enjoying the warm weather.
Just be aware and make sure that you are taking the proper precaution to lessen the chances of suffering from a brain injury.
And for those who have suffered a brain injury that was at no fault of their own, we are here to help you during your personal injury case.
We can help you to get compensation from the responsible party to help pay for medical expenses or even lost wages.
Contact us today for a FREE Consultation.
