Concussion Symptoms Last Longer In Girls: Study

Secondary medical conditions as such migraine, depression, anxiety, and stress could be the major factors leading to a prolonged recovery period in girls.

For the purpose of the study, the medical records of 110 male athletes and 102 female athletes, aged 11 to 18, who were diagnosed for concussion were taken and analyzed. And it was found out that for boys, the average duration of symptoms was 11 days, whereas for girls, it was 28 days. Also, the symptoms completely resolved within 3 weeks for 75% of the boys, whereas this number for girls was as low as 42%.

The study was published in the The Journal of American Osteopathic Association.

Lead researcher John Neidecker, a sports concussion specialist in Raleigh, North Carolina says, "These findings confirm what many in sports medicine have believed for some time. It highlights the need to take a whole person approach to managing concussions, looking beyond the injury to understand the mental and emotional impacts on recovery when symptoms persist."

Previous studies have shown that concussions worsen some pre-existing medical conditions like headaches, depression, stress and anxiety, which are more generally prevalent in girls than in boys.

"Often in this age range, issues like migraines, depression and anxiety have not yet been diagnosed," says Neidecker. "So, if I ask a patient whether they have one of these conditions, they're likely to say 'No'. But when I ask about their experiences, I get a much clearer picture."

"It can really become a vicious cycle for some of these kids," he adds further.

"Uncovering and addressing any underlying conditions gets them back on the field faster and ultimately helps them be healthier and happier in the future."