National Winter Sports Traumatic Brain injury Awareness Month

Winter is a time when many people get involved in winter sports such as skiing, ice skating and snowmobiling which potential involves injuries just like any of the other sports. Although it is a fun activity, it could end up in a disaster if practiced without following safety procedure or without the right equipment. Of all the winter sports, snowboarding and skiing has the highest cases of head injuries compared to snowmobiling. According to the study published in Orthopedic Journal of Sports Medicine, the number of head and neck injuries was the highest for those involved in skateboarding, snowboarding, skiing and motocross. Around 30% of concussions in extreme sports occurred among those involved in snowboarding and 25% of concussions were associated with snow skiing.  During winter sports, accidents involving the head can result in traumatic brain injury which can cause long-term and permanent health issues. Some of the brain injury symptoms include pain which can either be constant or recurring, motor dysfunction, sensory changes, speech difficulty and cognitive problems like shortened attention span, disorientation, confusion and difficulty following directions. Several of the organizations have recognized January as the National Winter Sports Traumatic Brain Injury awareness month. So, it is not only a time to have fun with winter sports, but also a time to learn about traumatic brain injuries associated with winter sports and therefore an opportunity to learn tips on how to prevent it. Hence, this month calls for focusing on the importance of enjoying Winter Sports responsibly and making aware of the precautionary measures one should take when participating in winter sports.

According to the Johns Hopkins-led study that was published, it shows that the use of helmets by skiers and snowboarders lowers the risk and therefore the severity of head injuries. This study has debunked the long-held beliefs that the use of helmets gives athletes a false sense of security which in turn could promote dangerous behavior that could increase injuries. “There really is a great case to be made for wearing helmets”, said Adil H. Haider, M.D., M.P.H, an associate professor of surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the leader of the study published in the Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery. “By increasing awareness and giving people scientific proof, we hope behavior changes will follow.” Different Types of Traumatic Brain Injury The type of brain injury can affect the recovery process of the individual and most of the brain injuries are a mixture of primary and secondary injuries. The primary injuries are those sustained at the time of the traumatic event and could include intracranial hematomas which are the rupture of the blood vessel resulting in collection of blood in the tissues of the brain. The skull fractures are considered a major concern as it can not only cause injury to the brain but also makes the brain susceptible for infection. A concussion is one of the most common types of traumatic brain injury which can occur after an impact causing the brain to shift damaging the cranial nerves or stretching the blood vessels. Problems can arise any time after the 24 to 48 hours period from time of a head injury, so affected individuals should be closely monitored. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention encourages that if concussion is suspected, the affected individual be removed from the sports activity and should be evaluated by health care professional before they can return to play. Some of the indications of concussion symptoms becoming worse include nausea, enlarged pupils, bizarre behavior, unable to suddenly recognize familiar people, blurry vision, slurry speech and difficulty waking from sleep. In case of concerns, medical attention should be seeked immediately. Resting the Brain for Concussion Recovery As there is no easy way to determine the severity of the concussion, the best thing to do is to rest and adequate sleep is essential. Also, when resting the brain, activities such as playing video games or reading a book should also be avoided. Any cognitive activities need to be limited as it can aggravate concussion symptoms. Only when the symptoms subside, the affected individual may carefully resume their everyday activities. However, it is best to avoid high-risk activities such as sports or riding a cycle particularly if any post-concussion symptoms are present. How Traumatic Brain Injuries are diagnosed In order to assess the severity of the symptoms, various diagnostic tools are used such as Glasgow Coma Scale that detects the affected individual’s ability to follow directions and to be able to review in detail about the injury. Also, various imaging system play a vital role in the diagnosis of the injury associated with winter sports. For instance CT Scan produces a detailed view of the affected person’s brain using a series of x-ray images. This can help detect facial bone fractures, blood clots and the evidence of bleeding in the brain. An MRI scan may be required after stabilizing the individual’s condition and based on the severity of the injury, the treatment could involve medication, surgery or just rest.

How to prevent Traumatic Brain Injury when playing Winter Sports

• Wear a proper fitted helmet which can help reduce the severity of Traumatic Brain Injury during Winter Sports. Also it is important to replace the helmet after any serious fall as most helmets can only withstand a single impact
• It is always better not to take unnecessary risks and understand one’s own limitations
• Take lessons on winter sports which will teach about the techniques on how to fall safely
• Children should be supervised carefully during winter sports and those under the age of 6 should never ride on snowmobiles
• When skiing, it is best to keep to the center of the trail and stay in marked boundaries on the slopes and look out for obstacles and hazardous conditions
• It is best to avoid crowded areas to reduce the risk of injury in case someone behaves irresponsibly

References https://health.gov/news/blog/2016/01/head-and-neck-injuries-in-winter-sports/ https://www.brainline.org/article/types-traumatic-brain-injury https://www.sports-health.com/sports-injuries/head-and-neck-injuries/brain-rest-and-concussion-recovery https://www.aans.org/Patients/Neurosurgical-Conditions-and-Treatments/Sports-related-Head-Injury https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/helmets_save_lives_of_skiers_and_snowboarders