National “Heads Up” Program Raises Awareness about Head Injuries in High School Sports
With another school year just around the corner, many high schools across Maryland have already begun summer training sessions for student athletes. Fortunately for parents, coaches and players, there will be an increased emphasis this year on preventing concussions and head injuries for high school athletes, specifically football players.
A new national initiative called “Heads Up Football” will help educate coaches on the best techniques and latest methods of protecting their players from sustaining serious brain injuries.
Heads Up Football will be running concussion-prevention workshops for coaches throughout Maryland this summer leading up to the 2015/16 high school football season. These workshops combine on-field training with classroom-style learning courses that will instruct coaches on new methods to teach and play the game in a safer way.
All coaches will be required to familiarize themselves with topics such as proper hydration and helmet fitting, as well as the Center for Disease Control’s Concussion Recognition Protocols.
One of the biggest points of emphasis of the Heads Up Football program is quick recognition of concussion-like symptoms in players, as well as on the need to remove any athlete from the field immediately if a coach or parent believes they may have sustained a head injury.
Heads Up Football warns coaches and parents to be on the lookout for the following symptoms, as they may be signs of a concussion or even a Traumatic Brain Injury:
- Headache or “pressure” in head
- Sensitivity to light or noise
- Nausea or vomiting
- Dizziness or loss of balance
- Blurred or double vision
- Feeling confused, sluggish, groggy or hazy
- Concentration or memory problems
Concussions and brain injuries are extremely dangerous, especially for young people whose brains are still developing. Traumatic Bain Injuries, which can be caused by extreme or repetitive head trauma, are notoriously difficult to diagnose and treat, and may result in permanent disabilities and a lifetime of medical care. Tragically, it is estimated that millions of high school athletes across the country may be exposed to these types of serious head injuries every year.
The Center for Disease Control estimates that approximately 3.8 million athletes between the ages of 8 and 19 reported sustaining a sports-related concussion in 2012. This number represents a 50% increase in the amount of reported sports-related concussions compared to the same age group 10 years ago.
Part of this increase may be due to increased knowledge about the symptoms of concussions leading to more treatment and reported cases. However, it is also clear that many head injuries remain undiagnosed when players attempt to “play through the pain” and remain in a game after suffering a concussion.
At The Yost Legal Group, Baltimore, Maryland Brain Injury and Personal Injury law firm, we urge parents of high school athletes to take the time to familiarize yourself with the Center for Disease Control’s concussion fact sheet. No game is more important than a child’s long-term health, especially when it comes to head and brain injuries.
If you or a loved one has sustained a Traumatic Brain Injury, concussion, or any other type of serious brain or spinal cord injury in an accident that was not your fault, call the experienced Baltimore Brain Injury lawyers at The Yost Legal Group.
Call 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) to receive a FREE, confidential and no-obligation consultation with one of our attorneys. Our lawyers will work closely with you and your family to protect your rights, handle all of the details of your case, and seek the justice that you deserve.
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