Even slight concussions can be bad for athletes

The slightest degree of post-concussion headache in high school athletes even one week after an injury is probably associated with incomplete recovery, and suggests the athlete shouldn't return to contact play until it and all other symptoms resolve.

That's the word out of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Sports Medicine Concussion Program. It had a study just published in The American Journal of Sports Medicine.

Researchers found concussed athletes with any degree of headache a week after injury also had other symptoms and did poorly on neurocognitive tests measuring reaction time and memory than concussed athletes who had no headache a week later. Those with headache were also four times more likely to have experienced memory loss and other symptoms on the playing field immediately after the injury, so it's associated with a more severe concussion.

"Our study results suggest that headaches in concussed high school athletes be taken seriously. An athlete (who has it) should receive further evaluation before being allowed to return to play. Headache certainly appears to be associated with linger problems and incomplete brain recovery following concussion," said lead investigator Michael D. Collins, a neuropsychologist and assistant director of the sports medicine concussion program.