Concussion in athletes.

Abstract

Concussion or mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) is a major sports medicine issue in the current medical literature and in the popular media. Well-publicized cases of careers ended by the results of multiple concussions as well as the potential for long-term neurocognitive deficits due to multiple concussions have raised concerns. This review will discuss the epidemiology, anatomy, and physiology of concussion, as well as the clinical evaluation, grading scales, risk of chronic traumatic brain injury, and research on genetic risk factors for concussion. The main focus of this article is to review the clinical evaluation and management of concussion, including return to play criteria and use of neuropsychological testing for the practicing physician. An estimated 300,000 sports-related traumatic brain injuries of mild to moderate severity occur in the United States each year.' Football, ice hockey, soccer, and rugby are sports with the highest concussion prevalence. Some studies show that up to 15% of people diagnosed with MTBI experience persistent disabling symptoms.^''