Every year they are produced in Spain more than 100,000 cases of traumatic brain injury (the estimated annual incidence is more than 200 cases per 100,000 inhabitants), and approximately 75% of cases occur in those under 35 years of age. Although just over 60% of cases of traumatic brain injury, Also called traumatic brain injuries (TBI), which occur every year due to traffic accidents and work accidents, Spanish Society of Neurology (SEN) It is estimated that at least 20% of cases are due to sports injuries.
Also, according to SEN estimates, Between 10% and 20% of all sports injuries that occur each year are head trauma and around 20% of contact sports players suffer at least one episode of traumatic brain injury per year, being the sports where the highest incidence of this type of injury is found. injuries in soccer, American football, rugby, hockey and boxing.
“A traumatic brain injury (TBI) – or, as we prefer to call it, traumatic brain injury (TBI) – is caused by a blow, a jolt or impact to the head, which disrupts normal brain function. And although not all blows to the head cause traumawhen it occurs, and depending on its severity, They can produce anything from a brief change in mental state or consciousness, to longer periods of unconsciousness or serious brain problems after the injury,” explains Jesus Porta-Etessampresident of the Spanish Society of Neurology (SEN).
Head injuries They are the leading cause of death and disability in the population under 45 years of age. in developed countries, according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO). Furthermore, disability is common in those who survive a traumatic brain injury serious, since it is estimated that, throughout the world, 43% of those affected suffer from some type of disability.
Soccer players, at greater risk of neurodegenerative diseases
“But in addition to the immediate consequences that a traumatic brain injury can entail, there is increasing evidence about its effects on long-term brain health”comments Porta-Etessam. “In recent years, Various studies have been published focused on analyzing the evolution of brain health in professional sports players. who in the past suffered concussions, finding numerous scientific evidence of the relationship between TBI and the development of neurodegenerative diseases in adulthood.
The association between traumatic brain injury and the development of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a neurodegenerative disease that occurs mainly due to having suffered repetitive traumatic brain injuries in the past, has long been known. Some studies suggest that around 90% of cases of chronic post-traumatic encephalopathy They occur in professional contact sports players, especially in boxing, rugby, American football, hockey, martial arts and wrestling athletes.
Furthermore, more recently, there are various studies that have pointed out that brain damage caused by repeated blows to the head entails a higher risk for athletes of developing other types of dementia in the future, such as Alzheimer’sbut also other neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease. “And this has not only been seen in the most aggressive sports disciplines, such as those mentioned above, but also in other types of contact sports such as soccer. Which has led to the International Football Association Board already has recommended a ban on headbutting in children’s footballdue to risk of brain injuries”, points out the Porta-Etessam.
Thus, a study carried out among Swedish soccer players recently indicated that, except for goalkeepers, soccer players were 1.5 times more likely to develop a neurodegenerative disease compared to the general population. Another study carried out in Scotland increased this figure, pointing out that professional footballers have 3.5 times greater risk of developing a neurodegenerative disease than the rest of the population and five times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s.
“Physical inactivity is responsible for 6% of deaths recorded worldwide and is one of the four main risk factors for mortality. Furthermore, Among the many benefits of exercising, there is also its protective function against neurodegenerative or cerebrovascular diseases.since avoiding a sedentary lifestyle can mean a delay of 10 or more years in the appearance of the first clinical manifestations of many neurological diseases”, comments Porta-Etessam.
“Therefore, although the benefits of practicing sportsboth for general and brain health, will always be greater than the possible risksit is important to raise awareness about the need to prevent head trauma and even more so in childhood and adolescence, where the brain is developing. And this is important not only when doing sports, but in general, when doing any type of activity, where the systematic use of a helmet, seat belt or other safety systems can be vital for our brain health. “.
According to the WHO, worldwide, TBIs are behind 30% of deaths in the workplace, and in addition, 84% of workers who suffered head injuries were not wearing adequate protection. The WHO also points out that almost 25% of people admitted for traffic collisions have suffered traumatic brain injuriesand that the use of a helmet and seat belt are the most useful tools to avoid them.
On the other hand, also according to WHO data, the use of a helmet reduces the risk and severity of head injuries by 72% in the case of motorcycle accidents, by 79% in bicycle accidents and skateboarding, and by more than 60% in head injuries caused while practicing skiing, snowboarding, skating or horse riding, among other sports.
According to data from the SEN, in Spain, 15% of those who suffer a TBI die. Head injuries are the leading cause of death in people under 20 years of age in our country, and at least 15% of head injuries can cause disability due to neurological sequelae. Only in Spain, it is estimated that About 74,000 people suffer from acquired brain damage as a result of having suffered a traumatic brain injury.
Furthermore, the SEN recalls that, in recent years, due to the substantial growth in the use of two-wheeled motorized vehicles, especially electric scooters, the increase in sports such as cycling or skiing, and the absence or use Inappropriate protective equipment in the workplace, among others, has caused an increase in the number of hospital admissions for traumatic brain injuries.
In Spain, three out of four TBI patients are men. In those between 15 and 30 years old, the main cause is usually traffic accidents; In childhood they occur mainly during leisure activities; and in those over 65 years of age, due to falls.