Concussions

Concussion Information Center

A concussion is a form of traumatic brain injury (TBI) that results in temporary loss of normal brain function. It is usually caused by a blow to the head or body. Many people assume that concussions involve a loss of consciousness, but that is not true. In most cases, a person with a concussion never loses consciousness. There are actually 26 symptoms associated with a concussion, and loss of consciousness is only one. Essentially a concussion results from the brain moving back and forth or twisting rapidly inside the skull. There is nothing "minor" or "mild" about a concussion. It IS a brain injury!

The formal medical definition of concussion is: A clinical syndrome characterized by immediate and transient alteration in brain function, including alteration of mental status and level of consciousness, resulting from a mechanical force or trauma.

This page was designed to help direct you to information regarding concussion and the steps Yorktown takes to recognize, assess, treat, prevent, and educate about head injuries. It is extremely important for athletes to report even the slightest symptom if they think they have sustained a head injury. Failure to do so could result in a potentially catastrophic condition, called second impact syndrome, or lead to more long term problems.