The Study
The purpose of this study by John W. Powell, assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology, and Kim D. Barber-Foss of Med Sports Systems was to examine the frequency patterns for mildtraumatic brain injuries (MTBI) associated with participation in10 high school sports: football, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, wrestling, field hockey, baseball, softball and girls volleyball. The study used data from the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) injury surveillance program, which was designed to study the impact that sport-related risk factors have on the incidence of injuries among high school varsity athletes. The subjects in the study were athletes who were included as participants on the varsity sports rosters at the schools in the study. The NATA certified athletic trainers recorded data from 236 high schools during three-year study. A reportable mild traumatic brain injury in the study was identified by the certified athletic trainers when it required the cessation of a player's participation for initial observation and evaluation of the injury signs and symptoms before returning to play, either in the current or a subsequent game or match.

The Findings
The NATA study collected data for 23,566 reportable injuries in three years, of which 1,291 (5.5%) were MTBI. The injury rates per 100 player-seasons for each sport are 3.66 for football, 1.58 for wrestling, 1.14 for girls' soccer, 0.92 for boys' soccer, 1.04 for girls' basketball, 0.75 for boys' basketball, softball, 0.46, baseball 0.23, field hockey 0.46 and volleyball 0.14. Among the MTBI cases, 76.1 percent missed less than 8 days with a median time lost for all MTBI of 3 days. MTBI rates were higher in a game than in a practice for all sports except volleyball. From this study, the rates of MTBI vary among sport and no sport is without the occurrence of an MTBI. The prevention of a MTBI, given its close association with a variety of different types of collisions, may be most successful using interventions aimed at controlling the participation environment. Decision-makers in sports safety should be directed to programs that would minimize the potential for head impacts from collisions, continued cooperation of sports sponsors, researchers, medical professionals, and sport participants is essential to help minimize the risk of MTBI.

What It Means to You
The MTBI can occur in any type of sport or physical activity. Identifying the initial signs and symptoms and then monitoring them until they are no longer present is the most efficient way to manage this type of injury. Participants in sports and physical activity should be encouraged to report events that cause them to experience any type of symptoms, e.g., headaches, nausea, confusion, etc., following an impact to the head.

More Information
Powell, J.W. & Barber-Foss, K.D. (1999). Traumatic brain injury in high school athletes. Journal of the American Medical Association, 282(10), 958-963.

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