Tracking Athlete Brain Health: Subconcussive Hits

It just takes a split second for an athlete to fall, collide with another player or get hit with a ball, puck or lacrosse stick and suffer a head injury.

Even if injuries aren’t so serious, brain health experts believe they add to cumulative trauma that could affect athletes more over time.

“Research shows the more head hits players suffer, even lighter ones we call ‘subconcussive,’ there is a possibility they could have cognitive or neurologic trouble later in life,” says Stephanie Alessi-LaRosa, MD, director of the Sports Neurology Program at the Hartford HealthCare Ayer Neuroscience Institute. “The real problem is that subconcussive hits are not detected as there are no symptoms associated with them.”

Find out how.