The Hidden Dangers of Playing Through Pain

When it comes to sports injuries, some hurts are worse than others. A type of injury called a sport-related concussion, or SRC, can have serious long-term effects if not handled properly. Researchers have found that young athletes who continue to play after getting a concussion may face worse outcomes than those who are taken out of the game right away.

A recent study looked at the medical records of 291 young athletes, ages 12 to 23, who had been to a sports concussion center within a day of getting hurt. Of these athletes, about 38% had been allowed to keep playing after getting a concussion. Researchers compared the athletes who were taken out of the game right away to those who were allowed to keep playing.

They found that athletes who had lost consciousness, or had been evaluated on the field by a trainer, were much less likely to have been allowed to keep playing. In fact, having a loss of consciousness reduced the odds of delayed removal by over 80%. Being evaluated on the field reduced the odds by 70%.

The study also found that athletes who were allowed to keep playing had more severe symptoms at first. However, the time it took for them to get back to school, for their symptoms to go away, and to return to play was not significantly different from those who were taken out of the game right away.

These findings highlight the importance of having trained athletic staff on the sidelines to recognize and respond to concussions. Quick action can help reduce the risk of long-term damage and make a big difference in an athlete's recovery.