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Prevention
By Mayo Clinic staffThe following tips may help you to prevent or minimize your risk of head injury:
- Wear appropriate protective gear during sports and other recreational activities. Always use the appropriate protective gear for any sport you or your child undertakes. Make sure the equipment fits properly, is well maintained and worn correctly. Follow the rules of the game and practice good sportsmanship. When bicycling, motorcycling, snowboarding or engaging in any recreational activity that may result in head injury, wear protective headgear.
- Buckle your seat belt. Wearing a seat belt may prevent serious injury, including an injury to your head, during a traffic accident.
- Make your home safe. Keep your home well lit and your floors free of clutter — meaning anything that might cause you to trip and fall. Falls around the home are the leading cause of head injury for infants, toddlers and older adults.
- Protect your children. To help lessen the risk of head injuries to your children, pad countertops and edges of tables, block off stairways and install window guards. Don't let your children play sports that aren't suitable for their ages.
- Use caution in and around swimming areas. Don't dive into water less than 9 feet (3 meters) deep. Read and follow posted safety rules at water parks and swimming pools.
- Wear sensible shoes. If you're older, wear shoes that are easy to walk and maneuver in. Avoid wearing high heels, sandals with thin straps, or shoes that are either too slippery or too sticky.
References
- Head injury. American Academy of Pediatrics. http://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/injuries-emergencies/Pages/Head-Injury.aspx. Accessed Dec. 2, 2010.
- Halstead ME, et al. Clinical report — Sport-related concussion in children and adolescents. Pediatrics. 2010;126:597.
- Heads up: Concussion in youth sports. A fact sheet for parents. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/pdf/parents_Eng.pdf. Accessed Dec. 2, 2010.
- Traumatic brain injury. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/print/sec21/ch310/ch310a.html. Accessed Dec. 2, 2010.
- Evans RW. Concussion and mild traumatic brain injury. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Dec. 2, 2010.
- Lovell M. The neurophysiology and assessment of sports-related head injuries. Neurologic Clinics. 2008;26:45.
- Heegaard W, et al. Traumatic brain injury. Emergency Medicine Clinics of North America. 2007;25:655.
- Schutzman S. Minor head trauma in infants and children. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Dec. 2, 2010.
- Wetjen NM, et al. Second impact syndrome: Concussion and second injury brain complications. Journal of the American College of Surgeons. 2010;211:553.
- Lovell M. The management of sports-related concussion: Current status and future trends. Clinics in Sports Medicine. 2009;28:95.
- Position statement on sports concussion. American Academy of Neurology. http://www.aan.com/globals/axon/assets/7913.pdf. Accessed Jan. 10, 2010.
- McCrory P, et al. Consensus statement on concussion in sport: 3rd International Conference on Concussion in Sport held in Zurich, November 2008. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine. 2009;19:185.
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