Prevention
Preventing all concussions is impossible. All interested parties need to do what we can to help reduce the number of preventable concussions as well as properly treat the ones that do occur. Proper concussion awareness, education, and management can reduce the chance of repeat concussions, and avoid catastrophic injuries like second impact syndrome.
I get many parents, athletes and coaches that ask about what can be done to prevent sports related concussions. There is no piece of equipment that will prevent a concussion, and all should be aware of false claims on packaging. Changes to helmets and equipment aimed at preventing concussion have yielded mixed results in early studies, and there is no clear medical evidence that differently shaped helmets or soccer head bands or mouth guards will prevent concussion. Use of such equipment can give an athlete a false sense of security and must not be combined with more aggressive play. Because the concussive injury occurs inside the skull, no helmet or other device outside the skull can completely prevent concussion.
Recommendations to help reduce the risk of concussion are:
Ensure that the athlete wear a helmet that is appropriate for the sport that they are participating in. The helmet must be certified by the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE).
Ensure that the helmet is fit in accordance to the requirements for that particular sport. It is very important that the helmet is fit properly and worn correctly each and every time
The head and helmet should never be used as a weapon. Anti-spearing rules in football have helped to reduce the number of cervical spine injuries in that sport; however, head first contact is still evident and is increasing in sports other than football.
Instruct the athlete in proper tackling techniques in football. Teaching them to not lead with the head and to hit with the shoulder instead of the helmet can reduce the incident of concussion.
Strengthen the neck muscles. Studies have shown that individuals with stronger neck musculature have a lower rate of concussion. A stronger neck can absorb some of the shock of the blow to the head and decrease the force delivered to the brain.