title: Does mechanism of injury play a role in recovery from concussion?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  High school football and soccer are 2 of the leading causes of concussion injuries. However, concussions also occur from mechanisms of injury such as motor vehicle accidents (MVAs), assault, and work-related accidents.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Determine if recovery from concussion could be related to the mechanism of injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Berkshire Medical Center Concussion Clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients aged 13 to 21 years suffering concussion from football (n = 31), soccer (n = 9), or MVAs (n = 20).
  
  
  METHODS
  ImPACT (Immediate Post Concussion Assessment Tool) test scores including symptom inventory; number of days sick; length of time to recovery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most commonly reported symptom at the time of injury was headache. Patients were seen in clinic an average of 16 (football), 14 (soccer), and 21 (MVA) days postinjury. Groups differed significantly on ImPACT Visual Memory and Visual Motor Speed scores (P < .05). MVA patients had a longer median number of days sick (97 days) than football players (32 days; P < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that concussion from an MVA may be a more serious injury than a typical concussion sustained during sports. Data suggest that MVA patients take longer to present to clinic, have lower Visual Memory and Visual Motor Speed scores on ImPACT, and take longer to recover. Further studies are needed to better understand how the mechanism of injury of concussion may relate to prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts (Ms Seiger); School of Public Health & Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst (Ms Goldwater); and Wellspan Adult Neurology, York, Pennsylvania (Dr Deibert).
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Seiger
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Goldwater
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Deibert
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000293:Adolescent; D001924:Brain Concussion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005538:Football / Q000293:injuries*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011379:Prognosis; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012916:Soccer / Q000293:injuries*; D014193:Trauma Centers; D055815:Young Adult