A comparison of symptoms and mechanism of injury amongst youth with sports-related head injuries (2016)
Undergraduates: Brittany Brauer, Mackenzie Herzog
Faculty Advisor: Johna Register-Mihalik
Department: Exercise & Sport Science
Presentation and outcomes following concussion may be related to various personal and injury-related factors. This study describes clinical presentation at initial evaluation by mechanism of injury category. Patients (n=162) included 8-18 years old presenting to three private sports medicine practices within three days of a sports-related injury. After consenting, a standardized form including a brief medical history and clinical interview (inclusive of injury characteristics), symptom checklist, visual-vestibular assessment, and neurocognitive testing, and balance screening was completed by a provider during the patient visit. Mechanisms of injury were grouped by contact as: 1) head to head, 2) head to other body part, 3) head to ground, 4) head to structure, 5) object to head, 6) whiplash, 7) multiple hits, 8) unknown/non-specific mechanism, and 9) other. Head to body part (22.9%) and head to ground (27.9%) were the most common mechanisms for concussion. Individuals with an unknown mechanism and object to head mechanism had the lowest symptom severity scores at 22.3¿21.1 and 23.5¿19.4 respectively. Individuals with an unknown/non-specific mechanism also had the lowest (better) near point convergence scores (2.8 cm¿4.6cm). Individuals with a multiple impact mechanism had the worst score (8.5cm¿9.9cm). Mechanism of injury may play a role in clinical presentation following concussion. Clinicians should be mindful of mechanism when managing concussions in young athletes.