Minor head injuries in American football. Prevention of long term sequelae.

The most common head injury in sports is the minor head injury or concussion-estimated to occur at a rate of 250,000 per year in contact sports. The risks of serious immediate consequences from a minor head injury can be obviated by careful attention to the athlete's post-traumatic complaints. No athlete who is still symptomatic from a head injury-regardless of how minor the injury originally appeared-should be allowed to compete until the symptoms resolve. If the complaints do not resolve rapidly, then more complete evaluation by a neurosurgeon or a neurologist is recommended. The potential long term consequences of minor head injuries in athletes remain to be elucidated. The available information appears to show definite, but probably reversible, neuropsychological impairment after a single minor head injury. However, much more data must be collected before any reasonable statement can be made about the potential cumulative effects of these injuries.