Blog
We Know You Want Them Back In the Game
A Hammond-Henry Hospital guide for athletes, parents, and coaches
If your athlete took a hit to the head — or a hard jolt — and something just feels off, it is okay to pull them from the game. You are not overreacting. You are looking out for them.
Concussions happen in football, soccer, basketball, wrestling, volleyball, cheer, and rec-league games that were supposed to be low-key. Kids want to stay in. Parents do not want to make a scene. Coaches are trying to keep a roster together. Wanting them back on the field is love. Getting them checked first is love, too. Hammond-Henry’s orthopedics and sports medicine team and sports medicine rehab program walk families through this every season. Here are the questions people ask us most.
What are the signs of a concussion?
You do not need a black eye, and they do not have to pass out. A concussion is a brain injury from a bump, blow, or sudden jolt. A lot of athletes walk off talking, which is why these injuries are easy to miss. At home, watch for a new headache, foggy thinking, that “I just don’t feel like myself” look, dizziness, wobbly balance, nausea, light or noise sensitivity, blurry vision, forgotten plays, a shorter temper, or sleep that suddenly swings too long or too short. From the sideline: a vacant stare, slow answers, clumsy steps, or the same question asked twice. If they do not seem quite right, trust that instinct.
Please seek emergency care if a headache keeps getting worse, vomiting will not stop, speech slurs, one pupil looks different, they cannot stay awake, or a seizure happens. Those signs are uncommon. You will never regret being careful.
Can you still play sports with a concussion?
Not that same day. We know that is hard to hear in the middle of a close game. Playing through a concussion is not toughness. Another hit before the brain has recovered can stretch healing and, in rare cases, make a manageable injury more serious. Feeling better in the locker room is common. Adrenaline covers a lot. Sitting them out for an evaluation is the kindest call you can make in that moment.
How do you treat a concussion?
Good concussion treatment is gentler than people expect, and it is not a week in a dark room anymore. That old advice has changed, which is good news for restless kids. The first day or two, take it easier. Everyday life is fine. If screens or homework make symptoms flare, scale those back. Encourage sleep, water, and regular meals. Skip alcohol. If thinking or vision feels off, hold off on driving. After that, a short walk that only mildly stirs symptoms often beats the couch. Contact, heading drills, and all-out lifting can wait. If headaches, dizziness, eye strain, or balance issues linger, you do not have to wait it out alone. Hammond-Henry’s concussion program includes cognitive and vestibular therapy — calm, guided help so the brain, inner ear, and eyes can work together again. Most young athletes feel better within two to four weeks. Some need longer after a second concussion or a too-soon return. That is not a character issue. Brains heal on their own timetable.
What is ImPACT testing — and why does a baseline help?
“How do you feel?” is an important question. It is also a tough one for a teenager who wants to play Friday. That is not them being difficult. They want to be with their team. That is why sports concussion testing can take some of the guesswork out. ImPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) is a computerized look at memory, processing speed, and reaction time. It takes about 20 to 30 minutes. It does not diagnose a concussion by itself. It simply shows how this particular brain is performing.
The kindest time to take it is when they are healthy. Hammond-Henry offers baseline ImPACT testing Geneseo families can complete before the season, through school outreach or by appointment in rehab. If a concussion happens later, those post-injury scores can be compared with your athlete’s own baseline instead of a generic average. Think of it as a before photo. After an injury, post-event ImPACT testing is part of the local program. Matt Kelly, an ImPACT-trained physical therapist with Hammond-Henry Rehab, helps student-athletes through follow-up testing and therapy. A stronger score is encouraging, but a clinician still looks at symptoms, balance, vision, schoolwork, and activity. ImPACT is one helpful tool in a careful plan.
How long until it is safe to play sports after a concussion?
There is no one-size calendar, and that can feel frustrating when a big game is coming. First, get back to regular life and school without symptoms flaring. Then start a return-to-play plan, usually with at least 24 hours at each step: easy aerobic work, sport-specific movement without contact, non-contact drills, full-contact practice, then games. If symptoms come back, that is information, not a character test. Drop back a step. Many athletes finish that ladder in a week or more after they already feel better. Full clearance often lands in the two-to-four-week range. Slower recoveries are more common than people think. Contact sports wait until your athlete feels well with thinking and physical work — and a provider has said yes in writing.
What should you do if you are worried right now?
Pull them from play. Tell the coach and athletic trainer. Then let a clinician who treats sports concussions take a look. If it is after hours and those red-flag symptoms show up, go to the emergency department. You do not have to sort this out by yourself. Hammond-Henry Rehab offers free athletic injury screens, usually by the next business day, and already supports Geneseo High School, Annawan, Annawan/Wethersfield, and Erie/Prophetstown. For concussion treatment or a baseline test, start with sports medicine services or call Rehab at 309-944-9150. For other sports injuries, the orthopedics team is available at 309-944-1595.
The season will still be there. Taking an extra day or week is not losing the year. It is giving your athletes a chance to come back feeling like themselves.