The Concussion Gap

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Concussion (2)

Did you know that female athletes are almost twice as likely to suffer a sports related concussion than their male counterparts playing the same sport?1 Furthermore, according to the journal of Pediatrics, female soccer players and male football players have almost the same risk for developing a concussion in their respective sports. High Schools football players suffered from 10.2 concussion per 10,000 practices and games. Female soccer players were a very close seconds at a rate of 8.4 per 10,0000.

These alarming statistics about female athletes are not widely known or fully understood in the sports world. Research into why female athletes are so much more vulnerable to concussions is currently very limited. There are several theories, including sex differences in neck musculature but there is still so much unknown and progress to be made. Awareness by parents, coaches, and athletic trainers is the first step. If your child suffers a concussion in their respective sport, please make sure they are evaluated by a specialist and undergo the proper rehab protocol before enjoying the rest of their season. You only get one brain!

  1. Bretzin, A. C. et al. J. Sports Med. 46, 2263–2269 (2018).
  2. Concussion Incidence and Trends in 20 High School Sports. Zachary Y. Kerr, PhD, MPH,b,c Avinash Chandran, PhD, MS,b,c Aliza K. Nedimyer, MA, ATC,a,c Alan Arakkal, BS,d Lauren A. Pierpoint, PhD, MS,e Scott L. Zuckerman, MD, MPHf