A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that occurs when a head impact jars or shakes the brain inside the skull. Gabe Henderson, wide receiver for the Louisiana High School football team, has had two concussions while in high school. Football accounts for 64-76% of all high school sport affiliated concussions. On average, one in every five high school athletes will suffer from a concussion this year. Gabe’s 2015 football season was cut short when he became one of these unfortunate student athletes.
It was the homecoming football game. The Louisiana Bulldogs were playing the Palmyra Panthers. With only a few minutes left in the first quarter, Gabe Henderson goes in for the tackle. Although the tackle is successful, the opposing player …show more content…
If an athlete is rendered unconscious after a blow to the head and is cleared to play too soon, the athlete can suffer from second-impact syndrome. Second-impact syndrome is a rare condition where a second concussion occurs before the first concussion had time to properly heal, causing rapid and severe brain swelling and often catastrophic results. An injury to the brain like this causes the brain to lose the ability to autoregulate intracranial and cerebral perfusion pressure, which can sometimes lead to cerebral edema, more commonly referred to as severe brain swelling, or possible brain herniation. Second-impact syndrome is more common in high school athletes because younger, less developed brains are more susceptible to it. Like most sports related injuries, the most effective treatment for concussions like Gabe’s is time. He/she should take as much time as necessary away from physical activities. It is crucial for the athlete to rest both physically and mentally to allow the brain to heal properly. Concussion symptoms may worsen if he/she concentrates on school work or any type of electronic screen such as a phone, computer, or television. Most importantly, the athlete should not return to play while they are still showing
It was the homecoming football game. The Louisiana Bulldogs were playing the Palmyra Panthers. With only a few minutes left in the first quarter, Gabe Henderson goes in for the tackle. Although the tackle is successful, the opposing player …show more content…
If an athlete is rendered unconscious after a blow to the head and is cleared to play too soon, the athlete can suffer from second-impact syndrome. Second-impact syndrome is a rare condition where a second concussion occurs before the first concussion had time to properly heal, causing rapid and severe brain swelling and often catastrophic results. An injury to the brain like this causes the brain to lose the ability to autoregulate intracranial and cerebral perfusion pressure, which can sometimes lead to cerebral edema, more commonly referred to as severe brain swelling, or possible brain herniation. Second-impact syndrome is more common in high school athletes because younger, less developed brains are more susceptible to it. Like most sports related injuries, the most effective treatment for concussions like Gabe’s is time. He/she should take as much time as necessary away from physical activities. It is crucial for the athlete to rest both physically and mentally to allow the brain to heal properly. Concussion symptoms may worsen if he/she concentrates on school work or any type of electronic screen such as a phone, computer, or television. Most importantly, the athlete should not return to play while they are still showing