This New Sign Of A Concussion Could Identify Up To A Third Of Undiagnosed Cases
A new sign of concussion has been recognized by researchers, and it could identify up to 33 percent of undiagnosed concussions. If added to official evaluation guidelines, it could significantly reduce the number of concussions that go untreated.
According to researchers from the Concussion Legacy Foundation, a quick shake of the head back and forth after a hard hit could signal that a person has a concussion.
In a new study, they found that when athletes exhibit this movement, they reported having a concussion 72 percent of the time. The study authors have named it “Spontaneous Headshake After a Kinematic Event” (SHAAKE).
“Sports and medical organizations should immediately add SHAAKE to their lists of potential concussion signs,” said Chris Nowinski, the CEO and co-founder of Concussion Legacy Foundation.
“Coaches, medical professionals, and concussion spotters should be trained to recognize when a SHAAKE happens and remove athletes for further assessment. It’s an easy change, with no downside, that could prevent catastrophic outcomes and save careers.”
The movement has been depicted in movies, TV shows, and cartoons for decades, but it has never been studied until now. For example, cartoons always show a circle of birds that fly away after a character shakes their head.
The researchers surveyed 347 athletes between the ages of 18 and 29 who currently or formerly played a sport at the high school, collegiate, or semiprofessional level to better understand SHAAKE and its relationship to concussions.
The athletes were instructed to watch video examples of SHAAKEs and asked about their experiences with them.
Most of the athletes were familiar with the gesture, with 69 percent claiming that they had made the head shake before, and 93 percent of those reported a SHAAKE in relation to a concussion at least once.
Prostock-studio – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual person – pictured above a man holds his head while frowning
Overall, nearly three out of four cases of SHAAKE occurred due to a concussion. The relationship was even stronger among football players, where 92 percent of SHAAKEs were associated with a concussion.
A SHAAKE typically takes place within seconds or minutes of an impact. It involves a side-to-side lateral rotation at a rate of two to eight movements per second. It usually lasts less than two seconds.
A high number of concussions are not reported by athletes because they might not realize they have a concussion or they don’t want to be removed from the game.
Leaving a concussion undiagnosed could have detrimental effects on an athlete’s health. That’s why it’s critical for SHAAKE and other signs of concussion to be taken seriously.
“Based on our data, SHAAKE is a reliable signal that a concussion may have occurred, like an athlete clutching their head after contact, being slow to get up, or losing their balance,” said Dan Daneshvar, the study’s senior author.
“Just like after these other concussion signs, if athletes exhibit a SHAAKE, they should be removed from play and evaluated for a potential concussion.”
The study was published in the journal Diagnostics.
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