Abstract:
Objective: Every state in the US now has some form of legislation in place with respect to management of concussions in youth athletes. However, the impact of such legislation on the resources needed for management of concussion is not yet known. We sought to document the incidence of concussion in a high school sample, the number of post-concussion assessments given, and the recovery time required for medical clearance. Method: Participants were 2,314 high school students enrolled in an academically competitive, college-preparatory boarding school from 2002 to 2013. All students participated in mandatory athletics, ranging from “intramural” to “interscholastic” sports. Previous history of concussion, the total number of concussions sustained, the number of post-concussion assessments, and number of days until medical clearance served as the dependent variables. Results: Overall, 27% percent of students sustained a concussion while in high school. Students with a history of concussion prior to high school had 4.8x greater risk of sustaining a subsequent concussion while in high school. For those concussed in high school, the number of post-concussion assessments ranged from 1 to 7, with a median of 2, and number of days until medical clearance ranged from 0 to 180, with a median of 7. Conclusion(s): Concussions occur in approximately 1 in 4 athletically active high school students, resulting in an average of 2 post-concussion assessments within one week of concussion. However, approximately 33% of concussed athletes required more than 10 days for medical clearance, and 10% more than one month.