Sanjay Thuppul

PREVALENCE OF CONCUSSION – COLLISION vs CONTACT SPORTS

Started Aug. 2, 2022

Abstract or project description

A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury—or TBI—caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth [1]. However, the real point of inquiry here was how concussions are caused. The two types of sports being compared were collision sports and contact sports. In collision sports, the person purposely hits or collides with other people or objects with great force. Examples: boxing, ice hockey, football, and lacrosse. In contact sports, the person is constantly making contact with other people or objects, but with less force than in collision sports. Examples: basketball and soccer. With new studies on CTE and the long-lasting effects of a concussion, new technologies have also been researched to prevent long-term head trauma [2]. Technologies such as infrared scanners or new neurological tests have been tested for the future. Some key data to note is the massive rise of concussions in collision sports in comparison to contact sports [3]. Over 60 percent of all football players will suffer a concussion in their playing career, and almost 80 percent of football players that experience multiple concussions will have CTE [4]. The high impact to the head seen in collision sports increases the rate of concussions compared to contact sports. Collision sports have a higher rate of concussion due to the higher rate of high-energy impact on the frontal lobe, temporal lobes, and hippocampus.