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Concussions In Sports

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Concussion
“Concussion is the sudden but short-lived loss of mental function that occurs after a blow or other injury to the head. It is the most common but least serious type of brain injury.” (NHS UK, 2014)
A concussion can occur when something/someone comes in contact with the head leading the brain to hit off the skull with force. People who regularly play competitive team sports such as American football and rugby have a higher risk of concussion as it is a full contact sport.
The physiological response with concussion include headaches often described as similar to migraines in that they cause a throbbing pain on one side or the front of the head. The person may also feel dizzy, sick and fatigue along with having sensitivity to loud …show more content…
Depressed mood or changes in behaviour emerge as a direct result of the concussion in the acute recovery phase and can be related to fatigue. Emotional and psychological responses play a crucial role in the athlete’s recovery.
Mainwaring, Hutchison, Camper & Richards, 2012, state that psychological responses can include depressed mood, anxiety about the future, re-injury fears, frustration or anger (especially if symptoms persist beyond their expected time frame or have impacted their athletic career), sense of loss of team role or identity as an active and contributing student-athlete, significant disruption in social network and negative impact on academic pursuits.
However according to a Brain Injury Journal by Lynda M. Mainwaring et al., 2010, concussed athletes do not report as much emotional disturbance as athletes with ACL injuries. Differential patterns of emotional disturbance were detected between injured groups. Relative to un-injured controls, athletes with concussion reported significant changes in Total Mood Disturbance and Depression post-injury, whereas athletes with ACL injuries reported significant changes in Depression scores …show more content…
The psychological responses associated with a dislocated knee, like any injury, will vary between individuals. The severity of the injury will also affect how the person responses psychologically. For example, the worse the injury is the more time the person may have to spend recovering therefore taking time out of their sport, which may lead to feeling more sadness, tension and loneliness. However, some people may come to terms with the injury. In some situations, the athlete comes back better after the injury if they have rehabilitated the injury correctly. The time out allows them to become more determined to do better. Mark who is a College Defensive Lineman states “I am performing with more fierceness and determination now, than before the

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