ABSTRACT
Most people who have sustained a mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) or concussion make a full recovery relatively quickly, but there is now awareness that mild injuries can cause long-lasting effects. As long ago as 1993, a definition of mTBI was developed by the American Congress of Rehabilitative Medicine (ACRM), but it is only the recent research that has led scientists and clinicians to produce specific protocols, particularly for injuries to young people and adults on the sports field. Some researchers have suggested that girls are more susceptible to the effects of mTBI in contact sports or to sustaining such an injury than their male counterparts. The effects of an mTBI or concussion – often referred to as post-concussive symptoms – commonly include symptoms such as dizziness, headache, slowed visual motor speed and reaction time and impaired sleep patterns, in addition to cognitive issues.
