MARYVILLE, Mo. — Friday is National Concussion Awareness Day, drawing attention to the growing awareness and research surrounding brain injuries.
Chapin Yourison, head athletic trainer at Northwest Missouri State University and Mosaic Medical, has worked in the field for 15 years. She said she has seen significant changes during that time as concussions have moved into the cultural spotlight.
High-profile cases of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, among professional athletes have fueled the conversation and spurred innovation, Yourison said.
“The public awareness has allowed us more time and energy, and funds at a higher level, to put into research for concussions,” she said.
That research has led to advances in diagnostics, treatment and prevention. Football has been a primary focus, with new helmet technologies and some youth leagues shifting to flag or touch play. But concussions aren’t limited to the gridiron, Yourison said.
“These are present in all sports and it’s a high risk in all sports,” she said. “When you think of sports where you don’t have a helmet on and you can still fall or get hit with an implement [or] a person … the pressure is growing to make sure we are protecting young athletes and professional athletes alike.”
She encouraged athletes, parents and the public to take the injury seriously and to seek medical evaluation after any blow to the head.
“Understanding that it’s a jostling of the brain that causes damage to the brain tissue is a huge piece … for athletes and parents and doctors who aren’t typically treating concussions to understand,” Yourison said.
A longer version of Yourison’s comments will air Friday at 9 a.m. during a Morning Conversation.
