Headbangers Anonymous: Female High School Athletes

Article by healthybalance.com staff
Posted on October 04, 2007

Every fall when youth football starts up, you’ll find articles in the health media warning of the dangers of head injuries involving concussion. Coaches are exhorted to make sure helmets fit right and parents are drilled on the signs of concussion: nausea, vomiting, headache dizziness, a blank stare, dilated pupils or a dazed mental state.

While the boys get all this attention, new studies report that girls’ concussions are often overlooked. Today’s female youth athletes play just as hard as their male counterparts. Coaches and parents don’t realize that girls playing soccer or basketball actually run more risk of getting concussions than boys. In fact, a study to be published in the Journal of Athletic Training reports that girls sustained concussions 68 percent more often than boys did in the same sport. The girls also suffered worse concussions and took longer to recover and return to play.

“Generally speaking, the medical profession does not do a very good job in recognizing that female athletes sustain concussions at an equal or even higher rate as males,” said concussion management expert, Dr. Robert Cantu of Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “It’s flying under the radar. And as a result, looking for concussions in women is not pursued with the same diligence, and it’s setting girls up for a worse result.”

Concussions Under-reported

While athletic trainers’ statistics say that about 5% of student athletes experience a concussion injury each year, formal surveys of the players themselves strongly suggest much higher numbers.
Other studies have determined that concussions are drastically underreported because many parents and coaches think that if a head injury doesn’t cause unconsciousness, it’s not that serious. Other signs of a concussion include forgetfulness, trouble concentrating or an uneasy feeling that you are not functioning as well as usual. Some people experience problems with coordination and balance; others undergo personality changes.

Concussions Require Medical Attention

When any of these symptoms appear, a visit to the doctor to determine the extent of the head injury is warranted. When concussions go undiagnosed, kids get back in the game too soon—and may end up with permanent, debilitating damage.

• Football does have the highest rate of concussions in high school sports: 47 per 100,000 player games or practices.
• Girls’ soccer was second highest with 36 per 100,000, followed by boys’ soccer (22) and girls basketball (21).
• The majority of soccer concussions are caused by hard falls to the ground or collisions with other players.
• Heading the ball is not the primary cause of soccer concussions unless players’ heads collide.
• The effectiveness of padded headbands remains questionable with the downside that they may encourage more aggressive play.
• Some doctors believe girls are more susceptible to concussions than boys because their neck muscles are not as developed.