-- Robert Preidt
TUESDAY, Dec. 10, 2013 (HealthDay News) -- Altitude may affect
an athlete's risk of concussion, according to a new study believed
to be the first to examine this association.
High school athletes who play at higher altitudes suffer fewer
concussions than those closer to sea level, researchers found. One
possible reason is that being at a higher altitude causes changes
that make the brain fit more tightly in the skull, so it can't move
around as much when a player suffers a head blow.
The investigators analyzed concussion statistics from athletes
playing a range of sports at 497 U.S. high schools with altitudes
ranging from 7 feet to more than 6,900 feet above sea level. The
average altitude was 600 feet.
They also examined football separately, since it has the highest
concussion rate of U.S. high school sports.
At altitudes of 600 feet and above, concussion rates in all high
school sports were 31 percent lower, and were 30 percent lower for
football players, according to the findings recently published in
Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine.
"We did see significant differences in concussion rates with elevation changes," study co-author Dawn Comstock, an associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Colorado School of Public Health, said in a UC Denver news release. "This could mean that kids in Colorado are less likely to sustain a concussion playing sports than kids in Florida."
The reasons for the lower concussion rates at higher altitudes
are unclear, but Comstock and colleagues offered one possible
explanation. They noted that sports-related concussions occur when
the brain collides with the skull when a player is hit in the
But as altitude increases, blood vessels in the brain undergo
mild swelling. This swelling, along with other changes, causes the
brain to fit more snugly in the skull. As a result, the brain does
not move around as violently when the head is struck.
Although the study found an association between playing sports
at higher altitude and lower concussion risk among high school
athletes, it did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.
The next step in this research may be to look at professional
sports, according to Comstock.
"If this study is correct, we should look to replicate our findings in the National Football League," she said. "For example, if the Broncos play the Chargers in San Diego or the Dolphins in Miami they should experience more concussions than when they play here in Denver."
The American Academy of Family Physicians has more about
EBSCO Information Services is fully accredited by URAC. URAC is an independent, nonprofit health care accrediting organization dedicated to promoting health care quality through accreditation, certification and commendation.
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Copyright © EBSCO Information Services. All rights reserved.