Managing Successive Minor Head Injuries

Phys Sportsmed. 1996 Nov;24(11):25-38. doi: 10.1080/00913847.1996.11948044.

Abstract

In brief This case report describes a female college basketball player who experienced brief loss of consciousness with hemiparesis after being struck in the jaw during a game. When she returned to play a month later, she sustained a second mild head injury, which resulted in persistent headache, cognitive difficulties, and reversal in hand dominance. She has since recovered felly. This case addresses retum-to-play issues for the head-injured athlete, especially the risk of recurrent injury. It also illustrates the utility of neuropsychological testing when standard medical tests fail to detect any abnormalities.