Work by High School Campers

Football, Lacrosse Account For Most Concussions Among Players

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Anytime a high school athlete steps on the field, there is a 5-10 percent risk that he or she will sustain a concussion, according to data from the Sports Concussion Institute. In fact, 53 percent of high school athletes have sustained a concussion before they even play a secondary school sport, putting them more at risk for serious injury if they sustain another concussion. Out of all high school sports, football and lacrosse account for the most concussion rates among males and females, with females twice as likely to sustain concussions, the data shows. Football accounts for 64-76.8 percent of all concussions in males and lacrosse accounts for 31-35 percent of all concussions in females. Dr. Patrick Carroll of Hartford Hospital, said, “The total number of concussions has increased not only because injury, but also because of the number of people recognizing the symptoms.”

In the last three years there’s been an effort in Connecticut and other states to train coaches, players and parents to spot concussions and take players out of games.

Work by High School Campers

Concussion Rates Among Teens Rise Despite Safety Programs

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Concussion rates among young athletes have increased each year by about 16 percent, according to MomsTeam.com. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 2.7 million children aged 19 and younger were treated annually in emergency departments for sports and recreation-related injuries from 2001-2009. About 6.5 percent or 173,285 of those injuries were traumatic brain injuries, including concussions. And the number of sports and recreation-related traumatic brain injury visits to the emergency room increased 62 percent with the highest rates among males aged 10-19 years, the CDC reported. “Each year, I have seen an increase in concussions involving high school athletes,’’ said Dr. David Wang, medical director of Elite Sports Medicine and the team physician for Quinnipiac University.