Concussions have been found to negatively affect the batting performances of Major League Baseball players, according to a study published on March 17, 2015 by the American Journal of Sports Medicine.
In that study, researchers discovered that during the first few weeks of a player’s return to playing, those returning from leave for a concussion performed worse than players returning from leave for non-medical reasons.
“One of the things we’re always trying to understand is what is the impact of concussion on anything someone does,” said Dr. Jeffrey Bazarian, senior author of the study as well as a concussion expert at New York’s University of Rochester.
Unlike any other sport or activity in which concussions occur, Bazarian told Reuters Health in a phone interview that baseball provides researchers with a unique opportunity.
“The thing that’s nice about baseball is that there are so many statistics kept on each player,” he said, adding that they can see how a player performs both before and after a period away from the game.
This study shows that the after-effects of a concussion may linger on for days, weeks or even longer.
While the study is not without methodological flaws, the fact remains that post-concussion syndrome is very real and can have a serious effect on a person’s ability to function normally.
Head injuries of any kind, regardless of the cause, must be treated early and often in order to minimize the risk for permanent traumatic brain injury.
Headaches, dizziness, blurry vision–they can all be signs of serious problems that simply should not be ignored.
If you or a loved one have suffered a head injury, it is imperative that you seek medical attention immediately.