Signs and symptoms of a concussion

Every concussed athlete will describe their symptoms differently and no two concussions are alike. The key to keeping our athletes safe is being able to recognize and report when a concussion is suspected. As a coach, the signs and symptoms of a concussion can be either observed or reported to you by the athlete or teammate. It is important to know that concussion symptoms will change throughout the athlete's recovery.

Obeservable signs: Signs that can be seen

Physical	Cognitive
Poor balance	Appears dazed or confused
Loss of consciousness	Slowed speech
Vacant stare/glassy-eyed	Forgets plays or instructions
Disorientation	Slow to respond

Emotional	Maintenance
Poor balance	Appears dazed or confused
Loss of consciousness	Slowed speech
Behavior changes

Reportable symptoms: My athlete will report to me or to a teammate...

Physical	Cognitive
Headache	Feeling in a "fog"
Blurred vision	Feeling slowed down
Dizziness or "seeing stars"	Difficulty concentrating
Nausea	Difficulty remembering
Numbness/tingling	Easily confused
Sensitivity to light or noise
Disorientation
Neck pain

Emotional	Maintenance
Not feeling right	Feeling tired
Nervousness/anxiety	Difficulty sleeping
Irritable	Drowsiness
Sad	Excess sleep
Lack of motivation	Loss of appetite

In a study investigating what kinds of symptoms concussed athletes reported during the first 7 days after injury.

Commonly reported signs & symptoms: [1]

• Headaches - 75%
• Difficulty concentrating - 57%
• Fatigue - 52%
• Drowsiness - 51%
• Dizziness - 49%

Recovery and changes in symptoms

As a student athlete recovers from a concussion his or her symptoms will vary in the type of symptoms, the intensity and the duration. Symptoms that are present in the acute stage of a concussion may not be present in the 2-3 weeks following the injury.

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[1] Kontos, A.P., et al., A revised factor structure for the post-concussion symptom scale: baseline and postconcussion factors. Am J Sports Med, 2012. 40(10): p. 2375-84.