Doctor, coach, trainers discuss concussion protocols, recovery

SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) — Concussions happen every day.

They are a mild form of traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head.

In fact, 5 million people go to the emergency department for a TBI, also known as concussion, every year.

It is the fifth-most Googled injury in the United States. Not surprisingly, it's also the fifth-most Googled injury in Louisiana.

Louisiana logs 1,150 searches for concussion per month on average, according to Phoenix injury attorney hutzerlaw.com

Despite what people might think, the leading cause of concussions isn't sports. In fact, it's everyday falls that lead to nearly half of all concussions.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the most common causes of concussions are falls, firearm-related injuries, vehicle crashes and assaults. Falls lead to nearly half of all hospitalizations caused by concussions.

Nonetheless, there's renewed concern about concussions, particularly among youth sports, after Dolphins star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa sustained one during a national game .

"If you had a concussion, they bruised their brain. They've literally bruised their brain just like they would've bruised their arm or leg," Dr. Charles Webb explained.

Concussions are a common injury in full-contact sports like football. The side effects of a concussion may vary, and it takes time to heal.

"The immediate short effects will be headache, confusion, loss of the ability to concentrate, and the athlete may become agitated at the time of the concussion," Dr. Webb said.

After every concussion, he added, a person becomes three times more likely to get another one.

Athletes are now protected more than ever as coaches and medical professionals work to protect them as much as possible.

One way coaches are working to keep their players safe is by ensuring they know how to tackle properly

"We try to take the head out of the tackle. We tackle with the shoulder and the lower body. Tackle the thigh pad wrap up and roll. And it's really just a safer way to tackle," Coach Stephen Dennis said.

They practice tackling techniques daily, he added.

And while you can't remove the contact from football, they limit how much student athletes are taking, as they only do full contact one to two times a week.'

Athletic trainers at Centenary College and East Texas Baptist University explained what they do to help take care of their athletes who have suffered a concussion.

"When an athlete sustains a concussion, they're immediately taken through memory testing, balance testing and they do symptom check-ins every day," Brandon Henschel said.

"Certain people respond differently to concussion injuries, so they have issues with some things and not others," Marcus Holiday said.

After suffering from a concussion, student athletes may struggle to get through class or everyday activities.

It is important to ensure they are giving their brain the proper amount of time to rest and heal.

"By asking that athlete to do four hours of homework on their iPad, their phone, their computer. What you're doing is your overstimulating that bruised brain," Dr. Webb said.

"It's just like you had a bruise on your leg and someone walked up and pushed on it every few minutes. And it's not going to allow it to heal very quickly."

Not every concussion is the same, he added, and each one presents different issues and can vary in severity.

Also, the younger the person, the more time and rest they will need to heal fully.

RELATED COVERAGE: