Sports Girls Play

Girls youth sports news, tips and resources for raising a happy, healthy athlete

  • Home
  • About / Contact
  • Resources
  • Shop for Girls Sports Gear
  • Disclosures

Girls Soccer Second Only to Football in Concussion Numbers

The numbers are staggering and heartbreaking – girls soccer players are treated for so many concussions each year that they are second only to football among youth athletes. A concussion is a brain injury and the easiest way I can explain it is if you were to take a block of jello and put it in a container then drop it you will see it stays primarily as it bounces of the walls of its container, but do it too many times and the jello does break down. And girls are actually more susceptible to concussions than boys, due in part to anatomy and inherent neck strength – according to a study by the Journal of Athletic Training, in sports that both girls and boys play, like soccer and basketball, girls are 1.5 times more likely to suffer head injuries in basketball and 3 times more likely when playing soccer.

NBC’s Kate Snow of Rock Center did a very informative piece on this alarming trend, how it affects the girls (girls in the interview claimed having multiple concussion over the past few years), what the warning signs are and what needs to be done to lower the numbers. Watch below:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

One trend I am very happy to see, at least in our area, is concussion testing at the high school level. Every high school athlete – whether they play football or are on the swim team – go through baseline concussion testing each season. I am wondering if this needs to become a service that is more readily available at the club sports and recreational sports level, too?

Additionally, there are three really important steps you can take as a parent to help prevent concussions in your athlete:

  • Make sure she is wearing a mouthguard – mouth guards have been proven to provide additional structural stability in the skull which helps prevent a concussion.
  • Know the symptoms of concussions and when in doubt have your athlete seen by a physician
  • Resist the urge to let your athlete return to play until she is 100% medically cleared – stick to your guns – no matter how much she or her coach pressure you to let her go back early.

You may also be interested in a documentary by the University of Minnesota’s Tucker Center for Research on Girls and Women in Sport highlighting the untold story of female athletes and concussion injuries. Knowledge is power when it comes to reducing the number of concussions young girls are suffering on the field.

May 10, 2012 1 Comment

Trackbacks

  1. Praise for More Concussion Education says:
    August 16, 2012 at 1:42 pm

    […] Girls soccer only second to football in concussion numbers […]

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Find Your School. Shop Your Gear.

School Banner

Recent Posts

  • FANCHEST – A Unique Gift for College Bound Athletes
  • Ways to Keep Kids in Sports Longer
  • Sports Girls Essentials – Recovering from a Tough Workout
  • Gifts for Girls Who Play Volleyball
  • Printable Instructions for Common Uses for KT Tape

Reader Favorites

  • Free Printable Training Journal Page
  • Tips for Dealing with Gymnasts’ Hand Rips
  • Hairstyles for Gymnastics and Cheerleading
  • Getting Past I Quit
  • Mouthguards Are A Must For Field Sports
  • Coaching Tips: Sandwich Your Corrections
  • The Power of Youth Sports
  • kids science kits

Sports Girls Love

Got Running Pains? Biofreeze - It's like ice, but better! Shop Now Evolve Fit Wear Banners College Ladies Gear at Fanatics.com

KT Tape | Kinesiology Therapeutic Tape | Train Longer. Finisher Stronger. | Shop Now

Categories

  • Athlete Profiles
  • Athletics
  • Basketball
  • Books
  • Celebrities
  • Cheerleading
  • Coaching
  • College Sports
  • Competition
  • Deals
  • Diving
  • Everyday Fitness
  • fashion
  • Fencing
  • Field hockey
  • Fun Friday
  • Fundraising
  • Gear
  • gifts
  • Golf
  • Great Resources
  • Gymnastics
  • High School Sports
  • Ice Hockey
  • Ice Skating
  • In the News
  • Injuries
  • Lacrosse
  • Life Lessons
  • Movies
  • NCAA
  • Nutrition
  • Olympics
  • On TV
  • Pan American Games
  • Parenting
  • Resources
  • Rowing
  • Running
  • Sailing
  • SGP Go-Getters
  • Shows
  • Soccer
  • Softball
  • Strength Training
  • Swimming
  • Taekwondo
  • tennis
  • Track and Field
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized
  • Videos
  • Volleyball
  • Wednesday Workout
  • winter olympics
  • Winter Sports
  • Wordless Wednesday
  • Youth Sports

Let’s Connect

Email us Like us on Facebook follow us on Twitter

Copyright © 2018 · Jane Theme By, Pretty Darn Cute Design