As noted by my esteemed colleague Andy (Concussion Awareness Takes The Stage in Congress), contact does not have to be forceful or violent—e.g., a helmet-to-helmet collision or a blindside hit—to cause a concussion. Even a slight blow to the head can produce concussion-like symptoms, keeping you off the playing field for prolonged periods of time.
And, as Brian Roberts of the Baltimore Orioles revealed earlier this week, a concussion can be self-inflicted. The All-Star second baseman knocked himself out of the O’s lineup after whacking his head with his bat.
The injury, which Roberts said occurred after a ninth-inning strikeout against the Tampa Bay Rays in late September, caused him to miss the final six games of the season.
“In frustration, I whacked myself on the head with my bat. I had my helmet on,” he told reporters. “It’s something I’ve done a million times. But that night and the next morning, I just didn’t feel good.”
He continued, “It’s a lesson to the kids to not do that, no matter how frustrated you are.”
We’ve all been there: extremely aggravated following a strikeout, a turnover or a team loss. But it’s important to prevent those emotions from controlling your actions.
Like the old saying goes, “tomorrow is another day, and there will always be another battle.” Make sure you’re ready to fight that next battle and not sitting on the sidelines because of an error in judgment.
Photo: sbnation.com
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