Concussion Stats & Facts

Myth

You must lose consciousness to have a concussion.

Fact

Most concussions involve disorientation, but not a loss of consciousness. In fact, loss of consciousness only happens around 10% of the time when a concussion occurs (when this happens, medical attention is required).

Myth

Concussions are only caused by a direct impact to the head.

Fact

A hit to the head is not the only way an individual can sustain a concussion. While direct blows to the head can cause concussions, a hit to the body or neck can also cause your brain to reverberate inside your skull.

Myth

A person with a potential concussion can return to sport, play, or normal activity the same day if they are feeling okay.

Fact

If a person has a suspected concussion, they should NOT return to sport or activity the same day. They should be seen by a medical professional and/or monitored for delayed symptoms for 48 hours.

Myth

You should not be exposed to any stimulation that may trigger concussion symptoms until you are completely recovered.

Fact

It used to be common practice to protect individuals with a concussion by placing them in silent, dark rooms until symptoms subsided. However, the “rest and wait” approach is no longer an appropriate recovery plan and can actually worsen symptoms.

Myth

Concussions aren’t a big deal. An individual with a concussion or a suspected concussion doesn’t need to go to the emergency room.

Fact

Anyone showing signs of a suspected concussion should seek assessment from a doctor, nurse practitioner, or healthcare professional with relevant training. If the person shows any of the Red Flag Symptoms, call 911 or seek emergency care immediately.

Myth

If I have a concussion, it will lead to permanent brain damage.

Fact

There are many causes to degenerative brain disease. Scientific studies are learning about the relationship between concussions and brain disease and while there is a relationship, a concussion does not cause brain disease.

Myth

Complete recovery from a concussion only takes 2 to 3 days.

Fact

Concussions typically resolve within 4 weeks; however, up to 30 percent will continue to experience persisting symptoms beyond this period. Persisting symptoms have the potential to cause long-term difficulties. If there is no improvement or symptoms are worsening 2-4 weeks after a concussion, physician referral to an interdisciplinary clinic is recommended, where available.

Myth

Physical activity should not be allowed following a concussion.

Fact

After the rest period following a concussion, light activity is recommended. This could be in the form of walking if the person feels their balance isn't compromised.

Myth

A person needs to stay in bed and rest for at least a week to recover from a concussion.

Fact

The recovery process for concussion begins with relative rest for a maximum of 2 days, followed by a gradual and well-managed return to activity. This is best done in collaboration with key individuals in the person’s life, such as healthcare providers, family members, friends, employers, teachers and school staff, coaches, etc.

Myth

You must keep a person with a concussion awake following their injury.

Fact

Years ago, people feared that falling asleep after a concussion would put someone at risk for falling into a coma. However, research has disproved this. If someone is stable after a concussion, and they’ve been assessed and cleared by a medical professional it’s not worrisome to let them sleep. Rest, including sleep, is essential for brain recovery. Waking someone repeatedly can actually interfere with healing.

Myth

If you don’t have symptoms immediately, you don’t have a concussion.

Fact

Concussion symptoms don’t always appear right away—they can take hours, days, or even a week to show up. While early signs may include confusion or headache, delayed symptoms like sensitivity to light, sleep issues, irritability, and fatigue are also common.

Myth

If you think you have had a concussion, you should have a CT Scan or an MRI.

Fact

CTs and MRIs cannot reliably show or diagnose a concussion. Concussions are often referred to as an "invisible injury" as these types of tests do not show changes to the brain structures. When a person sustains a head injury, their doctor may order a CT or MRI; however, this is done to rule other head injuries such as a skull fracture, not to diagnose a concussion.

Myth

Helmets prevent concussions.

Fact

Helmets do not prevent concussions, they protect against skull fractures and more serious brain injuries. A concussion can still occur from the brain moving inside the skull during sudden impacts or whiplash. Helmets can reduce the severity of a blow, but they must be properly fitted and maintained to be effective.

Myth

Treating an adult for concussion is the same as treating a child.

Fact

The still-developing brain of children and adolescents tends to take longer to recover from a concussion, so it’s important to treat them differently than an adults.

Myth

Wearing a mouth guard will prevent a concussion.

Fact

Mouth guards are important safety equipment, and the protect the teeth from being chipped, broken, or knocked out. But no mouth guard can prevent a concussion.

Myth

All concussions are the same.

Fact

As many professionals say, “If you’ve seen one concussion, you’ve seen one concussion.” Concussions can affect people in very different ways—impacting memory, mood, balance, vision, sleep, or even heart rate. No two injuries are exactly alike, which is why personalized assessment and care are key to proper recovery.

Most concussions in young children don’t happen during sports. In fact, common causes include everyday falls from beds, stairs, and sofas—only 2 out of 10 concussions in young children occur during physical or sports activities!

Young children often can’t fully express their symptoms after a head injury. Caregivers need to watch carefully for unusual behaviours or signs of discomfort.

After a young child sustains a head injury, it’s important to stay calm and remember not all head injuries are necessarily concussions. When a concussion does occurs, most children recover within days or weeks.

A study conducted by the Injury Prevention Centre determined that 41 Albertans sustain a concussion each day. That is appoximaely 15,000 concussions per year being diagnosed in Alberta’s emergency departments.

A study conducted by the Injury Prevention Centre determined that in Alberta the highest number of concussions was due to falls. Followed by concussions due to sports activities and motor vehicle crashes.

People of all ages get concussions, but a study conducted by the Injury Prevention Centre determined that Alberta residents between the ages of 10 and 24 had the highest average number of concussion emergency department visits.

Most concussions do not involve a loss of consciousness or focal neurologic findings, and symptoms may present hours to days after the injury.

Alberta residents between 10 and 14 years of age have the highest number of fall related concussion emergency department visits.