After Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry took a dive on his head during Game four of the NBA Western Conference Finals, he returned to play after being diagnosed with a head contusion.
Sportingnews.com spoke with James Gilbert, MD, of The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics about head contusions and concussions, as well as return to play after suffering a head injury.
Here are seven key notes, according to Dr. Gilbert as reported by Sportingnews.com:
1. A contusion is a soft tissue injury that does not affect the brain.
2. It can be difficult to treat concussions because some innocuous hits can lead to severe concussions. In the case of Mr. Curry, a concussion would leave him out of play for at least seven days.
3. A sideline concussion assessment test is a good indicator if a player can return to competition.
4. Cognitive and physical challenges can trigger symptoms in cases of delayed onset concussions.
5. If a player shows red flags, which could be either physical, cognitive, emotional or sleep-related, the S.C.A.T test can be administered again and rest the athlete for a few days.
6. Research shows that contusions turning into delayed concussions are more common in children, but it still happens in adults "more than we recognize," and still a point of research.
7. A contusion should subside within 24 hours, and can be treated with ice, some anti-inflammatories and physical therapy.