University of Florida is part of the South-Eastern Conference. This makes up eleven states, including the University of Georgia, University of Alabama, and of course the University of Florida.
Concussion is a brain injury it is defined as a complex pathophysiological process affecting the brain. Concussions are caused by a direct blow to the head, face, or neck. Symptoms of a concussions may be headaches, confusion, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and delayed response to questions.
If you do not treat a concussion and get another brain injury you can get Second Impact syndrome, when this happens the brain loses its ability to auto-regulate. This can cause cerebral edema, Brain herniation, and can even cause death. Concussion protocols change quite often because it is a common injury in athletes, so we need constant research to help prevent/treat these injuries.
Every student athlete is required to take a baseline concussion test, before they can participate in practices, or any games. They give all athletes, coaches, assistant coaches education on concussion prior to any practice, or competition.
If any student injures their head and serious injuries can not be ruled out then they are to go to an emergency room. Any player who has suffered a concussion is to be removed from play and evaluated by a licenses medical provider. If any players shows signs, or symptoms of a concussion, they will be escorted to somewhere safe by the ATC, such as a locker room, and go through screening to make sure they do not suffer from a concussion. If the player is cleared, they will be able to return to play. If the student is not safe to return to the play they will have to sit out while they get better.
As they get better they can play with limited neck and head movement. If they can tolerate the more movement they can move a step up with more movement to the head and neck, and minor cognitive demand. Then they can condition and do dynamic exercise, and increase cognitive demand. Then they can return to return to practice, but they can not have much contact. Last, they can return to training setting with full activity.
Concussions can turn very severe if they are not treated, and they need to be taken seriously. Athletes and coaches should stay aware and pay attention to any symptoms or signs of concussions because if the brain continues to get brain injuries constantly, it can turn deadly. Concussions can affect your school work, memory balance, and even your coordination. Detecting a concussion and treating it early is important because if it is not treated it can cause headaches and fatigue for up to years.
Concussions are very common, so we continue to try to improve our understanding of them. This is why the baseline tests continue to change almost yearly, approximately 3.8 million people per year. It is important we stay educated to this subject because high school teens are especially at risk for concussions. Research for a safer future is vital, so it is important for us to get educated about this topic.
