Concussion Recovery Takes Girls Longer

A new study published in The American Journal of Sports Medicine has shown that high school athletics take longer to recover from sports-related concussions than college-level athletes and that female athletes take longer to recovery then males.



The study also found that young women and girls suffered more symptoms then their counterparts after a concussion, and they scored lower on visual memory tests then male athletes. Other findings include that college athletes did better than high school athletes on verbal and visual memory tests.



For the study, Associate Professor of Kinesiology Dr. Tracey Covassin evaluated 222 athletes in high school and college who had suffered a concussion. Cavassin performed evaluations on the students following the concussions, then followed up with similar evaluations two, seven, and 14 days after the concussions. The students played lacrosse, baseball, rugby, hockey, wrestling, volleyball, football, soccer, softball, crew, and cheerleading.



Many states have passed youth concussion laws that educates parents and players about concussion, and removes players from the field if a concussion is suspected, and requires players to receive clearance from a professional before returning to the field. The author of the study hopes this new information will help parents, coaches, and educators make informed decisions concerning the players symptoms and slower recovery.



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