The Froedtert & MCW Sports Medicine Program provided specialized care for athletes who sustain a sport-related concussion. Our team consists of sports medicine physicians, athletic trainers and physical therapists. We provide services at several locations.
Non–Sports-Related Concussions
If your concussion is not related to sports, you may benefit from concussion information provided by our Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Clinic.
A sports-related concussion (SRC) is a traumatic brain injury sustained while engaged in sporting activities. It is caused by a blow to the head, neck, or body resulting in a force being transmitted to the brain. This is different from a non-sport concussion, which occurs under other circumstances such as falls, assaults, or car accidents and are evaluated and treated differently.
- Michael McCrea, PhD, ABPP, a neuropsychologist at Froedtert Hospital, has helped understand SRC better through research for over 30 years and has published numerous publications on this topic.
- Yuka Kobayashi, DO, sports medicine physician at the Medical College of Wisconsin, has also helped conduct research through the Traumatic Brain Injury Clinic at Froedtert Hospital.
A sport-related concussion does not show-up on images such as an MRI or CT scan because there is no bleeding or bruising of the brain. However, SRC does cause complex changes in brain blood flow and nerve communication. While sport-related concussions can happen during any sport, they are more common in football, hockey, wrestling, soccer, competitive cheer and lacrosse.
Signs and Symptoms of a Sports-Related Concussion
Players should be removed from the game/practice and evaluated as soon as possible if any of the following warning signs is witnessed.
- Actual or suspected loss of consciousness
- Seizure
- Uncoordinated walking
- Poor balance or clumsy
- Player unsure of score, game or opponent.
- Player confused about assignment or play-calling
- Behavioral changes
- Appears dazed and confused
Symptoms are what a player experiences following a sport-related concussion. They usually present immediately, but sometimes evolve over minutes or hours. Players who report symptoms should be evaluated for SRC prior to returning to any sport. Some common symptoms include:
- Headache
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Poor concentration
- Vision problems
- Mood changes
- Sleeping difficulty and fatigue
If the athlete has these symptoms, go to the emergency room (not urgent care):
- Repeated vomiting
- Loss of consciousness that lasts more than 30 seconds
- Headache that worsens over time
- Fluid or blood draining from the nose or ears
- Pupils (black part of the eyes) look bigger or unequal in size
- Weakness in the arms or legs
- Changes in behavior
- Confusion or disorientation (not recognizing people or places)
- Slurred speech
- Obvious changes in mental function
- Changes in coordination, such as stumbling or almost falling
- Seizures or convulsions
- Dizziness that doesn’t go away or goes away then comes back
- Bruises around the eyes or behind the ears
- Symptoms that worsen with time
If you have a safe and reliable way to get to the emergency room, and a medical professional on the sideline has deemed it safe to take your personal car, you can take the patient in a personal car.
If a medical professional is not available to make that decision, and the patient presents with the signs above, call 911 immediately.
Treatment and Recovery
Recovery after an SRC is an active approach. Symptoms typically resolve within two to four weeks but can take longer.
To resume activity, athletes must go through a structured progression of activity to keep them safe while they recover. We do not want our athletes to sit in a dark room. We will help guide them through a progression of exercise to keep them safe while they recover.
Athletes must be fully recovered and need medical clearance prior to returning to full participation in their sport. Athletes who return to sport too quickly are at risk for developing life threatening conditions such as second impact syndrome.
Programs are tailored for each athlete, but you can expect the following general approach during recovery.
- Stage One: Return to daily activities and school
- Stage Two: Light aerobic exercise
- Stage Three: Sport-specific exercise
- Stage Four: Non-contact training
- Stage Five: Full contact practice
- Stage Six: Full clearance/normal game play
Second Impact Syndrome
Second Impact Syndrome is a rare but potentially life-threatening condition that occurs when an athlete experiences a second hit to the head while they are still healing or recovering from an initial sport-related concussion. Complications of second impact syndrome can include irreversible brain damage and death.
Resources
There are resources available for parents and coaches that athletes can use when they sustain an SRC, so that they don’t have to pay for their care. There is also additional information on sport-related concussion through the WIAA.
Sports-Related Concussion Treatment Locations
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