What is a Concussion?

Simply put, when you hit your head, your brain moves around and can bang against the inside of your skull. This can cause your brain to bruise or lead to tearing of blood vessels and injury to the nerves, resulting in a concussion – a temporary loss of normal brain function.

Concussions and other brain injuries are fairly common for athletes. According to a recent study, high school athletes in nine sports sustained an estimated 137,000 concussions during the 2007-2008 school year. High-impact sports such as football, boxing, lacrosse, soccer, basketball and hockey pose a higher risk of head injury, even with the use of protective headgear.

You don’t have to lose consciousness to have a concussion

So you’ve hit your head – but do you have a concussion? Here are some of the signs:

• "Seeing stars" and feeling dazed, dizzy, or lightheaded
• Nausea or vomiting
• Headaches
• Blurred vision, unevenly sized pupils and sensitivity to light
• Slurred speech or saying things that don't make sense
• Difficulty concentrating, thinking, or making decisions
• Difficulty with coordination or balance
• Feeling anxious or irritable for no apparent reason
• Feeling overly tired
• Memory loss or forgetfulness (if you don't know your name – there's a good chance you have a concussion).

The signs of concussion are not always recognized, which is why having an athletic trainer who is specifically trained to recognize concussions or a medical professional who is trained in concussion management is essential. They can assess your injury and determine if you have a concussion. Often baseline testing – when players are tested for neurological responses prior to the season – can be helpful in evaluating if you have a concussion.

Dangers of a Concussion:

Continuing to play or returning to activity too soon will put you at risk for serious injury – even if you feel fine. If your brain hasn't healed properly from a concussion and you get hit again (even if it's with less force), you can develop long-term disabilities or die.

You Have a Concussion, Now What?

First, stop playing. Don't return to play even if you feel fine – your brain needs time to heal. The amount of time you need to recover depends on how long the symptoms last. Healthy teens can usually resume normal activities within a few weeks, but each situation is different.

Your athletic trainer and/or doctor will determine how long you should sit out. Until then, it’s important to get plenty of rest for both your body and mind. Activities that require concentration and attention (like studying, test taking, or even playing videogames) may make the symptoms worse and delay recovery.

Preventing Concussions

Some accidents can not be avoided, but you can do a lot to prevent a concussion by taking simple precautions:

• Wearing appropriate headgear and safety equipment.
• Learn appropriate techniques. In sports like football, learn how to tackle without leading with your head, and in soccer, avoid heading the ball when it is kicked at high      velocity from close range.

Remember, most people with concussions recover just fine with appropriate treatment. But it's important to take proper steps if you suspect a concussion because it can be serious.

CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS:

You can learn more about concussion safety by visiting the California Athletic Trainers’ Association website at www.ca-at.org or the Youth Sports Safety Alliance at www.youthsportssafetyalliance.org. California Assemblymembers Mary Hayashi and Jerry Hill have recently introduced legislation that would help protect youth athletes from catastrophic injuries. To see the bill and access sample letters of support to send to your legislators, visit www.ca-at.org/letterwrite.

Once the long days of summer arrive, kids will race to dust off their bikes, skateboards or hit the pools. But the California Athletic Trainers' Association (CATA), suggests parents consider these stay safe tips before sending their kids and teens out to play or participate in recreational sports:

• Choose Age-Appropriate Activities: Determine which activities would be appropriate for your children based on their age, skill level, ability and interest.

• Fuel Up: Feed kids whole grain, low-fat and nutritious foods that will keep their bodies going strong. Heat can decrease appetite, but it's important to eat regularly, especially fruits that contain water to avoid dehydration.

• Beat the Heat: Depending on where you live, the long days of summer can be brutal. Kids avoid strenuous activity during the hottest part of the day from 10 AM to 3 PM and always drink plenty of water to stay well-hydrated before, during and after each activity.

• Protect the Face: Apply sunscreen products to kids' faces and lips that contain an SPF of 30 or more to help avoid sunburn.

• Warm Up First: Children's muscles should be warm before starting an activity. Berardini suggests a light aerobic activity for 1-2 minutes to avoid pulled muscles or joint injuries. Moderation is the key to avoiding injury.

• Control Speed: Whether in a skateboard park or on a long bike ride, kids and teens should always be aware of others and control their speed. They may be "Going for the Gold," but kids should be smart when it comes to speed to avoid injury or a collision with others.

• Know When to Stop: Kids and teens should be aware of their energy level and concentration during an activity. They could risk exhaustion, heat stroke or even an overuse injury as a result of repeated action.

What comes to your mind when you hear the word "trainer?" Do you think of Burgess Meredith shouting at Sylvester Stallone in the corner of the boxing ring? Or perhaps "trainer" conjures an image of a person leading a dog obedience class. It could also be someone who trains you to use a computer. But most likely you think of a fitness professional- someone who works with individuals to lose weight or improve their strength and flexibility. Further, you might think "athletic trainer" and "trainer" are one in the same, but it's important to differentiate between the two.

When choosing the best professional to provide fitness or health care services for you or members of your family, it's essential to recognize that there are significant differences between personal trainers and athletic trainers- both in terms of qualifications and practice.

Athletic training is practiced by athletic trainers, who are health care professionals who collaborate with physicians to optimize activity and participation of patients and clients. An athletic trainer meets the qualifications set by a state regulatory board and/or the Board of Certification.

Certified athletic trainers (ATCs):

• Must have at least a bachelor's degree from an accredited athletic training education program. Entry-level athletic training education is competency-based in both classroom and clinical settings and mirrors the medical education model. 70 percent of ATCs have earned a master's degree or higher.

• Must pass a rigorous and validated certification exam to earn the ATC credential.

• Must keep their skills current by participating in lifetime continuing education; the current requirement is 75 contact hours per every three-year reporting period.

• Must adhere to practice guidelines set by one national certifying agency.

The practice of athletic training includes:

• The provision of physical medicine and rehabilitation services, serving as physician extenders.

• Prevention, assessment and treatment acute and chronic injuries and illnesses.

• Coordination of medical care with physicians and other allied health care providers.

• Making return-to-activity/return-to-work decisions.

Athletic trainers work in a variety of settings, including schools, colleges, professional sports, clinics, hospitals, corporations, industry, performing arts venues, municipalities (e.g. fire and police departments) and the military.

A personal trainer formulates, instructs, monitors and changes an individual's specific exercise program in a fitness or sport setting.

Personal trainers:

• May or may not have higher education in health sciences

• May or may not be required to obtain certification

• May become certified by any one of numerous agencies that set widely varying education and practice requirements

• May or may not participate in continuing education

Daily duties:

• Assess fitness needs and design appropriate exercise regimens

• Work with clients to achieve fitness goals

• Help educate the public about the importance of physical activity

Personal trainers work in health clubs, wellness centers and various other locations where fitness activities take place.

Millions watched in awe this summer as Michael Phelps swam into Olympic history, and eyes were glued to television sets around the world as gymnasts Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson finished 1-2 in the All-Around competition.

But what price do these young athletes pay for their gold-medal performances?

As kids chase the glory of college scholarships, professional sports careers and even Olympic gold they are training like adults before their bodies are fully developed, leaving them at risk for injury.

Nowadays, it's common for children as young as 5-years-old to train intensively in one sport year-round, a phenomenon known as early specialization.

In order to be more competitive at a younger age kids are training harder, longer, and more often, but too much repetitive motion during the formative pre-teen and early teen years takes a toll on their developing bodies in the form of stress fractures, growth-plate trauma and other common overuse injuries. Incidences of these injuries have grown in the past decade as more young people participate, train and compete year-round on varsity, club and all-star teams - simultaneously.

And while Phelps' performance at the Olympics was remarkable, what no one saw were the 80,000 or more meters  (nearly 50 miles ) he swam each week in preparation for the games since he was 11-years-old. And of course, the world wasn't watching Liukin and Johnson train more than 5 hours a day, 6 days a week, through sickness and injury for over half of their lives (they are 18 and 16-years-old).

Choosing a specialization too soon can deprive young athletes from fully developing their fundamental motor skills and muscle groups that are not worked by their sport of choice. In extreme cases, early specialization leads to stunted growth, weakened bones and severe injuries - including some that may be irreversible.

Whether it is internal or external pressure, an attempt to meet expectations or be the best - competitive kids may hide their pain in order to keep playing or competing. The possibility of long-term affects should serve as a warning to parents of young athletes and their coaches to pay attention

The California Athletic Trainers Association offers the following tips to safeguard young athletes from overuse injuries:

1. Play at the right age. Kids should be put into age-appropriate sports. The CATA recommends kids start playing organized sports no earlier than 6-years-old.

2. Mix it up. The CATA suggests young athletes between the ages of five and 13 play multiple sports in a year to give their muscles and joints a break from playing the same sport repetitively. However, kids should not participate in more than one sport at one time. As they mature, if they want to specialize in a particular sport, they should progress safely into an intensive training regimen.

3. Don't ignore pain. Encourage kids to listen to their bodies and speak up if they feel pain so that the problem can be addressed immediately before it worsens.

4. Rest, rest, rest. It is important to take care of injuries as soon as they happen. Many overuse injuries, if caught early, can be healed with rest and time off from the sport.

5. Get annual physicals. Young athletes should receive a pre-season physical every year to detect any potential or existing overuse injuries, along with any other health issues.

6. Presence of on-site, qualified personnel. Kids should be coached by qualified personnel, and a certified athletic trainer should be on-site during school or other organized sports. As physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists, athletic trainers can offer a range of services, including injury prevention, immediate evaluation and treatment, and rehabilitation to reduce the risk of serious injuries, as well as re-injury.

Sports are still a great way for kids to stay fit and learn self-discipline, however, the key to keeping young athletes injury-free is moderation and diversity.