Spring Break
Concussions prominent issue for female athletes
Michelle Nicoud
Issue date: 11/30/07 Section: Sports
"There's just a greater awareness with athletic trainers and with coaches and with doctors," Crawford said. "Getting your bell rung isn't necessarily a minor thing anymore.
That's going to mean, most of the time, you have a concussion. We're talking to our athletes a lot more about this."
More female athletes participating in college sports will naturally lead to an increased number of concussions, Haraldson said.
Crawford said she couldn't say definitively whether more concussions happened in practice or in matches during the 2007 season.
Dani Parmenter, the women's basketball team's trainer, said she has seen more concussions in practices as opposed to games. She said there were either four or five concussions on the basketball team last season.
"They're going for drills more, there's more repetition, they're just doing a lot more," Parmenter said. "They have a higher chance of getting that contact that causes a concussion."
In soccer, concussions usually happen when a player is attempting to head a ball and accidently knocks the head of another player on the way into the air, Crawford said.
"The actual heading of the ball has very little to do with getting a concussion, I would say," Crawford said. "It's when they're going up, and if there are two people going for a ball, it's the other person knocking their head."
Crawford said concussions can also occur if an athlete gets pushed over and hits the ground or takes an elbow or knee to the head.
Crawford said headaches, nausea and an inability to place herself at practice or a match are the symptoms she sees most often. Haraldson officially diagnoses the concussion, she said.
"Athletic trainers are kind of like my eyes and ears and are also trained to recognize the symptoms of concussion," Haraldson said. "They obviously find more than I do because they spend more time with the athlete."
After a concussion, Parmenter said the athlete must have no symptoms for 24 hours before they are gradually returned to action. It is at least a seven-day process, that includes riding a recumbent bike for 20 minutes, doing a "sport-related activity," such as dribbling or passing, drills without contact, practice without contact and then returning to a full practice, Parmenter said. The next day, the player may return to competition, Parmenter said.
That's going to mean, most of the time, you have a concussion. We're talking to our athletes a lot more about this."
More female athletes participating in college sports will naturally lead to an increased number of concussions, Haraldson said.
Crawford said she couldn't say definitively whether more concussions happened in practice or in matches during the 2007 season.
Dani Parmenter, the women's basketball team's trainer, said she has seen more concussions in practices as opposed to games. She said there were either four or five concussions on the basketball team last season.
"They're going for drills more, there's more repetition, they're just doing a lot more," Parmenter said. "They have a higher chance of getting that contact that causes a concussion."
In soccer, concussions usually happen when a player is attempting to head a ball and accidently knocks the head of another player on the way into the air, Crawford said.
"The actual heading of the ball has very little to do with getting a concussion, I would say," Crawford said. "It's when they're going up, and if there are two people going for a ball, it's the other person knocking their head."
Crawford said concussions can also occur if an athlete gets pushed over and hits the ground or takes an elbow or knee to the head.
Crawford said headaches, nausea and an inability to place herself at practice or a match are the symptoms she sees most often. Haraldson officially diagnoses the concussion, she said.
"Athletic trainers are kind of like my eyes and ears and are also trained to recognize the symptoms of concussion," Haraldson said. "They obviously find more than I do because they spend more time with the athlete."
After a concussion, Parmenter said the athlete must have no symptoms for 24 hours before they are gradually returned to action. It is at least a seven-day process, that includes riding a recumbent bike for 20 minutes, doing a "sport-related activity," such as dribbling or passing, drills without contact, practice without contact and then returning to a full practice, Parmenter said. The next day, the player may return to competition, Parmenter said.
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