Abstract

In America, the number of concussions in youth sports is rapidly growing with millions

of people having concussions every year and the number of concussion-related emergency room

visits increasing drastically (Brainline, 2018). This rapid growth causes this subject to be

extremely relevant to today’s society as more and more people face the detrimental effects. The

purpose of this research was to identify the long-term effects of repeated concussions and what

prevention and treatment methods would be best to reduce the recovery time and the risk for

long-term effects. It was hypothesized that numerous concussions cause an increased risk for

degenerative disease, mental illness, and cognitive impairments; increased awareness of

concussion severity and the use of advancing technology can greatly improve prevention and

treatment. Through an online survey and a literature review, it was found that multiple

concussions do cause an increased risk for degenerative disease, especially CTE, but are less

likely to cause mental illness and cognitive deficits. Also, effective prevention methods could be

educating players, coaches, and parents, teaching proper techniques, and the advancement of

helmet technology. Treatment suggestions include the use of baseline concussion testing,

individualized methods, and an overall understanding between doctors, coaches, and players

throughout the entire recovery process.