Second Impact Syndrome in contact sports and non-athletic populations
December 12, 2020
Introduction: The topic of second impact syndrome is a lengthy but not well researched one. Their still seems to be a lot of speculation in the medical world about what it really is. For anyone who has ever experienced a head injury of any sort, (more commonly in sports.) However concussions are very prevalent outside of sports as well. regardless of which area of life the injury was sustained the topic of Second impact syndrome was most likely discussed. More notably probably during the rehabilitation process by either a medical professional such as a doctor or a professional such as an Athletic Trainer.
The rehabilitation process probably looked different depending on the setting. Like may people the concept of concussions let alone Second impact syndrome is rather new in many ways. The idea that a second hit can cause untold damage is a hard thing to grasp. this would obviously be hard in most cases especially if an athlete really wants to play before they are ready. In another case Perhaps you need to return to a high risk job where the risk of a second head injury is high.
(41% of athletes return to play soon)
(16% of High school football players who lost consciousness during a concussion returned to to the field the same day) ☝☝😟
What is second impact syndrome: " a rare condition associated with malignant brain swelling usually occurring in young athletes with pervious concussion history". (Tator C et al 2019 p.1) The first definition seems to focus on the main points of second impact syndrome and what it affects. The second definition however is rather different in how it tells a formal story. "repetitive head injury describes a condition in which individual experience a second head injury before completely recovering from the initial head injury". (Weinstein, E et al 2013 p. 2) Now the second definition says a lot more about what the overall idea of second impact syndrome truly is.
Why second impact syndrome is hard to recognize:
Second impact syndrome is exactly what it sound like a second traumatic injury to the brain. The true hard part is making sure a player is ready to enter back into a game after a hit or to make sure a sidelined player isn't playing down symptoms or simply not telling you at all. Most cases of second impact syndrome occurrence happen because a player feels the need not to let there team down. Playing through symptoms and possible heady injuries can quickly spell disaster. Education of concussions and of second impact syndrome is very important in making sure your child is safe. The largest tool in the fight against Second impact syndrome is understanding.
Literature review
Research on the topic has shown some rather interesting results:
- Second impact syndrome has been shown to occur in both contact sport athletes as well as non-athletes.
- Second impact syndrome does not always show up on the first imaging set after occurrence
- Recovery is very much possible if treated right away; but sadly it is not always the case.
Research has shown that; brain swelling does occur extremely rapidly and evidence suggests "mechanisms include loss of auto-regulation and alteration of the blood–brain barrier." secondly The idea that some players can have second impact syndrome occur while others just simply do not experience it is widely un-know.
A rather interesting statistic from an article referenced in further writing on this topic states "In a study of prevalence of headaches in high school and collegiate football players, 85% of athletes reported headache related to being hit during football. Notably, few athletes reported their symptoms to trainers or coaches. Many reported playing with a headache, but none of them subsequently suffered from SIS'' (Weinstein E et al p. 3)
- Research shows the prevalent of on going concussion symptoms and possible Second impact syndrome is high especially Post concussion syndrome
defined as the presence of 3 or more of the following signs and symptoms after experiencing head injury such as headache, dizziness, fatigue, irritability, insomnia, difficulty of concentration or memory difficulty." (Bedaso A et al 2018 p.1)
- Symptoms associated differ slightly from a regular concussions symptoms. These symptoms are prolonged they include
- cognitive impairment such as memory loss
- Behavioral issues (mood swings)
- The research specifically sites "it is a common health problem that affect the productive age group, ..." (Bedaso et al 2018 p.3)
Second Impact safety 101:
Second impact syndrome has proven to be a rare occurrence but still a very formidable one. There are no odds of something like this in terms of who it will happen to and who it won't. In short we take the idea of it not happening for granted in a lot of ways. The most important idea we all need to remember is that education is a vital key to prevention. There are several things you can do in an event you feel you have a concussion or head injury especially in sports and of course in non sport related instances as well.
4. simple steps for concussion awareness
- If you feel like you were hit hard during a game and feel dizzy or faint talk to your coach or seek the Athletic trainer
- If you don't feel ready to play then don't its import to keep yourself safe
- A concussion isn't the end of the world, they happen all though it is unfortunate
- If you are not an athlete and experience a head injury go to the hospital
Of course as we all know prevention is the best method for everything. Concussions are no different, taking action against them is fairly easy. However it does starts with being safe of course wearing the proper equipment. Lastly always being on the look out for signs and symptoms.
Looking for more Second impact awareness: 👇
About the Author
Sean Goslin is a senior at Westfield state university studying Movement science with a concentration in sports medicine. Formal post graduate plans include pursuit of a career in Nursing. He can be contacted at Sgoslin1996@westfield.ma.edu
references:
1. McCrory, P., Davis, G., & Makdissi, M. (2012). Second impact syndrome or cerebral swelling after sporting head injury. Current sports medicine reports, 11(1), 21–23. https://doi.org/10.1249/JSR.0b013e3182423bfd
2. Weinstein, E., Turner, M., Kuzma, B. B., & Feuer, H. (2013). Second impact syndrome in football: new imaging and insights into a rare and devastating condition. Journal of neurosurgery. Pediatrics, 11(3), 331–334. https://doi.org/10.3171/2012.11.PEDS12343
3. Bedaso A, Geja E, Ayalew M, Oltaye Z, Duko B. Post-concussion syndrome among patients experiencing head injury attending emergency department of Hawassa University Comprehensive specialized hospital, Hawassa, southern Ethiopia. J Headache Pain. 2018 Nov 21;19(1):112. doi: 10.1186/s10194-018-0945-0. PMID: 30463506; PMCID: PMC6755541.
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