Concussions are a common and dangerous injury suffered by young athletes that can occur with or without loss of consciousness. In fact, many symptoms of concussion don’t show up until 1 to 3 days after the injury.
Learn more about the signs and symptoms of a concussion from Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
While athletes of all ages and activity levels are at risk, those playing soccer and football are some of the most likely to suffer a concussion while on the field.
For football players, concussions are the result of helmet-to-helmet contact, improper tackling techniques, dangerous falls and running plays, among other factors.
For soccer players, concussions are most often caused by improper heading techniques, or from head-to-head and arm-to-head contact while competing for 50/50 balls in the air. Collisions with other players on the field, or being kicked in the head by a high kick or side tackle can also result in concussions.