- College of Medicine Faculty News
Central Florida life offers many benefits, including year-round opportunities for outdoor physical activities. The benefits of physical activity are unquestionable, but unfortunately, injuries may come with the territory.
Each year, approximately 300,000 sports-related concussions occur in the United States. They can be caused by any bump or blow to the head or other parts of the body, so the first step is prevention. Use of protective equipment during football and safe play recommendations are key. The second step is early recognition of symptoms and evaluation by an appropriate health care provider.
According to Dr. Leonardo Oliveira, a sports medicine specialist at UCF Health, we all need to recognize the warning signs for concussions and seek medical attention immediately for the following conditions:
- Headache/neck pain
- Dizziness/lightheadedness
- Sensitivity to light or noise
- Poor balance
- Loss of consciousness
- Confusion
- Dazed or stunned behavior
- Amnesia
All concussions are serious, Dr. Oliveira said. “If you get a head injury, don’t ignore it. Don’t hide it so you can get back to your sport,” he said. “Your injury can have long term consequences.”