Every winter, thousands of Atlanta residents typically head to the slopes to enjoy skiing, sledding, and other winter sports activities. Many of these activities, however, come with a high chance of being involved in an accident that ends with brain injuries.
January is marked every year as National Winter Sports Traumatic Brain Injury Awareness month. This commemoration underscores the high number of brain injuries that occur when Georgians are on the slopes every year. This year, before you strap on your skis or skates, take all necessary precautions.
Traumatic brain injuries that occur during winter sports typically take the form of sports- related concussions. These concussions are caused by a direct jolt to the head. However, you don’t necessarily need to be hit only on the head to suffer a concussion. Even blows to the face or neck, can cause a brain injury.
Remember, that concussions may not be evident immediately after the injury. In some cases, symptoms may emerge only after a couple of minutes, or even after a couple of hours. Falls are a common cause of sports- related concussions in winter. Collisions with stationary objects such as trees are also very common, especially during activities like skiing or sledding. If you or a loved one have suffered any kind of fall or blow to the head while participating in a winter sports activity, get medical attention immediately. Consult a doctor even if there are no immediate signs or symptoms of the injury.