Brain vs. Game

How Sports can Cause Head Injuries and How to Avoid Them

Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash

Head injuries have become an unavoidable issue in the sports world. In more recent years, the percent of head injuries relating to sports has increased. As athletes continue to push their bodies to their limits, the risk of head injuries continues to grow. From youth leagues to professional leagues, forceful impact to the head can lead to both short-term or long-term health issues. The growing percent of head injuries in sports has led to debates about player safety and rules.

Minor head injuries are not as severe and life-threatening. Injuries like a broken nose, a busted lip, cuts or scratches and a broken jaw are all examples of injuries that can heal quickly. The least common facial injuries caused by sports are fractures; there are many types of facial fractures including the nose, eye socket, cheekbone and jaw. The easiest bone to fracture on the face is the nasal bone, which is thin and fragile, causing it to fracture more easily. The nose sticks out, causing it to break more definitely in a fall or hit. Most facial fractures are caused by collisions or ball related sports. Harsh impact to the face can cause damage to important facial functions that the body uses daily. Mouthguards, helmets and goggles all help to prevent and protect the face from getting injured.

More severe injuries like concussions can lead to long term brain damage. A concussion can be caused by many different forces of impact including a jolt, blow or hit to the head. The back and forth movement during a concussion can cause a twist inside the skull that leads to greater and more serious damage impairment. When the brain shakes, the soft brain tissue can be damaged if it collides too hard. This can also cause damage to the brain cells which can lead to the potential destruction of many other parts of the head. The temporal lobe of the brain is located on the left and right sides of the head by the ear. Damage to the temporal lobe can cause hearing problems and possibly total loss of hearing. The occipital lobe is located at the back of the head and controls eye sight. A hit to the occipital lobe can change the ability of being able to see clearly and could lead to blindness. The parietal lobe controls pressure, touch, pain and temperature, and if hit hard enough, these can all be damaged. Finally, if the frontal lobe is damaged, it can cause changes in personality, judgement, emotions, behavior and memory. 

Having multiple concussions can lead to more severe brain injuries. There are three types of traumatic brain injuries (TBI): mild, moderate and severe. A TBI is brain dysfunction caused by an outside force to the head. In a mild TBI, the brain can become dysfunctional in some areas and can lead to symptoms such as dizziness, memory issues, headaches and confusion. Sometimes, but not always, a mild TBI can cause unconsciousness for up to 30 minutes. In a moderate TBI, the brain can become more severely dysfunctional. Symptoms of a moderate TBI include disorientation, confusion, loss of consciousness for up to 24 hours, memory loss and increased irritability. The worst out of all TBIs is a severe TBI. A severe TBI can lead to serious brain trauma, loss of consciousness for over 24 hours, coma, amnesia, seizures, paralysis and many more life-threatening health issues. If the head is hit hard enough, the brain tissue can be damaged, leading to bruising, swelling, bleeding and tearing. When the brain tissue is damaged, nerves and cell communication also become damaged. This disrupts the function of the brain and impairs normal bodily functions.

Another type of severe brain injury is chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Both TBI’s and CTE’s are most prevalent in contact sports due to the forceful impacts of falls or blows to the head. CTE can cause memory loss, mood changes, behavioral problems and can eventually lead to dementia. CTE is diagnosed after death by brain autopsies. CTE also causes brain cell damage, inflammation, brain atrophy (decay) and tau protein buildup. Tau protein is essential for brain health because it stabilizes microtubules that form the cell's communication system. When buildup occurs, it can make it difficult for neurons to transport nutrients and signals.

Concussion testing is crucial when an athletic trainer is suspicious of a concussion. A concussion test checks for mental and physical skills such as memory, focus, coordination and reaction time. If any red flags are noted, then the athlete most likely will be diagnosed with a concussion. To avoid brain injuries, it is important to prioritize protective gear, train with correct techniques and form and stop participation if feeling any symptoms of a concussion.