My last
article discussed concussions in dancers, and noted that although they are more
common in other forms of physical activity like football, soccer and lacrosse,
they still occur in dance. While concussions are more likely to be the result
of a fall or being dropped during a lift, it is also worth noting that a dancer
in a recent study reported developing concussion symptoms
after “repeatedly whipping her head and neck in a choreographed movement.”
Dancers
who are concussed may report the following symptoms: headache, nausea, blurred
vision, light sensitivity, noise sensitivity, feeling mentally foggy &
concentration and memory problems.
Although
many people are now aware of the external symptoms of a concussion, few people
are aware of what is actually happening inside the body.
When
a concussion occurs, the neuronal membranes, which are the outer layers that
surround nerve cells, are damaged. As a result of this damage, potassium and an
amino acid called glutamate leak out into the space between the cells. The body
senses that there is a decrease in the amount of these substances in the nerve
cells and sends more potassium into the cells to solve this problem. Since the
potassium continues to leak out of the damaged cells, the body works harder to fix the
issue and an imbalance is created.
Because
the body is doing all this extra work, it grows tired and an energy debt is
created. An energy debt means that the body is working harder than normal and
depleting all of its energy stores. This energy debt explains why a concussed
individual craves carbohydrates; carbohydrates are the body’s preferred source
for energy.
It
is for these reasons that rest is often prescribed for concussed athletes. In
moderate to severe cases, concussed individuals may have to sit in dark rooms
to rest the brain and limit the amount of input to which the brain must
respond.
Up
until now, complete rest has been prescribed, followed by a gradual return to physical
activity. Our next post will be a guest post written by a colleague of mine who
has been conducting research on concussed individuals and will discuss the role
that moderate aerobic exercise can play in the recovery process.