With Concussion Awareness Week beginning this week, it's the ideal time to remind southwest residents about the symptoms and dangers associated with concussions.
Concussion Awareness Day, also known as Rowan's Law Day, is set for September 25 in honour of 17-year-old Canadian high school rugby player, Rowan Stringer, who lost her life in 2013 following multiple concussions leading to second impact syndrome.
Tyson Brinkworth, the program coordinator at the Sports Medicine and Science Council of Saskatchewan, noted that people suffering from a concussion might experience headaches, memory loss, drowsiness, and sleep dysregulation.
"Second impact syndrome is swelling of the brain caused by a subsequent injury that occurs before a previous injury heals," explained Brinkworth. "[Rowan] is believed to have experienced three concussions over six days while playing rugby,
"She had a concussion, but didn't know her brain needed time to heal and neither did her parents, teachers, or coaches."
Concussion Awareness Day aims to shed light on the subject to inform athletes, youth, families, coaches, and more about the risks of concussions.
"As an athlete, the biggest thing is to refrain from participating in your sport and receive medical attention from a professional," added Brinkworth.
Anyone looking for more information on concussions and preventing injuries can visit Parachute Canada's website.
Additionally, the Sport Medicine and Science Council will be hosting a free webinar titled; Concussions in 2024: Key Concepts, Hot Topics and Real-World Cases. Anyone interested in the webinar can visit sasksport.ca.