The more girls hockey concussion stories that I hear, the more I realize how much players, parents and coaches are worried about coming back too fast after a concussion. Here’s an email I got from a young player yesterday:
“I just suffered a concussion a week ago in a game last Friday. I never thought that it was a problem with girls hockey. I just hit my head really hard and thought that it was weird for me to get one. I am still having problems with post-concussive symptoms, and the trainers told me I will be out of hockey for at least 2 weeks…and maybe longer. Am I more prone to getting another concussion after this one has fully healed?
Girls hockey players aren’t just suffering from concussions at an alarmingly high rate. They are also returning to the game too quickly and putting themselves at great risk for another concussion. I came back too fast from a concussion back in college and it was one of the worst decisions I ever made.
Here’s the advice I gave this player - the advice that I wish someone had given me…
Take your time.
I came back way too fast after my first concussion and ended up getting another one in the same season.
I suffered from my first concussion back in my 1st year at university. I remember taking being in the slot, taking a shot on goal and then getting hit under the chin by one of the defensemen’s sticks. I never lost consciousness and actually played the rest of the game. I didn’t tell anyone that I had a terrible headache and felt sick to my stomach because I didn’t want anyone to think that I was a wimp for getting hurt from a little shot to the head.
It wasn’t until I got off the ice after the game that I realized I was in trouble. I felt so sick and so out of it that I had to lie down on the floor of the bus on the 2 hour trip back to school. My ears were ringing, everything was spinning and I don’t remember anything from the trip back. They took me to the doctor when we got back to school and I got diagnosed with a concussion.
That meant no playing, no practicing and no training of any kind until the symptoms went away. You can imagine how horrible it is to watch your team from the stands, but there was nothing I could do until the symptoms went away.
Not only couldn’t I play, but I couldn’t study. Every time I sat down to work, I would get a killer headache and felt sick. I spent almost one full week in bed, which was so hard because I was so used to running around and doing a million different things in one day - not laying in bed staring at the ceiling.
One day I started to feel better and I wanted to go for a walk. One of my best friends and teammates took me out for the walk and I barely lasted 10 minutes. I was so angry, frustrated and sad. Not a great way to spend your first term at university.
To make a long story short, I had to reschedule all of my exams, spend more time in bed and take 3 full weeks off from the ice before I started skating again.
Once I got back on the ice, I still didn’t feel 100%, but I couldn’t take sitting in the stands anymore. It was my own fault for coming back too early. My coaches, trainers and teammates thought I was fine because that’s what I told them. I just couldn’t bear the thought of being out of the game any longer.
Three weeks later, I was going in for a shot on net and I got hit under the chin again. It was the exact same play as before and I knew immediately that something was wrong. I knew enough to stop playing and tell my trainer that I was in trouble. Now I was not only angry about getting hurt again, but I was mad at myself for coming back too early. Luckily, I recovered from this concussion a lot more quickly and was able to finish out the season symptom and injury-free.
This story is NOT meant to scare you.
Think of it as a cautionary tale.
There is nothing wimpy about telling someone you think you might be injured - especially if it’s a head injury. Your brain is the most valuable asset you have - don’t risk permanent damage for the sake of the game. Trust me, I know it sucks to watch from the stands. But it’s not worth it to try to be a hero out there. If you think something is wrong, tell your trainer, coach or parent. And if you are still feeling symptoms, don’t play.
Take it from me - it’s not worth it to rush it.
~ Coach Kim
Where does that leave those of us who are pugilists? I spent a good portion of my young adulthood punching peoples heads and getting punched- sadly more of the latter. Brain cells don’t regenerate. Once they’re gone, they’re gone. I pretty much quit boxing when I woke up from a bad match in a car on my way to Waco Texas. That didn’t sit well with me, and ever since I’ve been a bit more cautious on how I use my head. Although a helmet will protect the old melon to a degree, it doesn’t stop the sudden movement or shaking which causes a concussion. So, even if you have a kevlar helmet lined with space foam, it won’t stop you from getting a concussion if you get biffed under the chin and your head makes a hard, severe movement in one direction. Keep your head up and work on balance so you can quickly avoid some of those situations. Kim’s right on…
One of our best players on our team got a concussion last year at a tournament in the US. It was the first game of the tournament and she had to fly back home the next day because she felt so sick and didn’t want to stay there. She waited for the symptoms to go away before she returned but sometime during the summer she got another concussion and she was still feeling the affects of it when tryouts came around.
She wasn’t allowed to play until she went two weeks without any symptoms. She hasn’t had any bad headache or another concussion yet, knock on wood.
Take the time out now while you have the choice so you can play again later.