Secret Locker Room Fights
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Comment| Wednesday, April 4th, 2007 | Bruce Kennedy | CWK Executive Producer |
“These kids are hitting each other in the head. They may or may not have true symptoms ... they’re not necessarily unconscious on the floor, but they definitely have had ... symptoms suggesting that they have had a concussion - and then the coach doesn’t know that.”
– Deborah Young, M.D., Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
There’s a dangerous fighting game going on in many middle school and high school locker rooms. It’s a game that takes place in secret – and sometimes goes beyond horseplay, leading to serious injuries.
It’s called "Locker Boxing" or "Helmet and Gloves." Kids who play hockey and lacrosse slug each other in locker room bouts, until one of the fighters gives up.
"When I was younger it happened a lot," says 17-year-old Erich – who played hockey in middle and high school. "People just wanted to show that they were bigger and stronger and better than other people. It’s kind of a macho, machismo thing, I guess."
There is anecdotal research that locker room boxing is going on in parts of the U.S. and Canada. The reason few adults know about it is that kids keep it a secret.
"When the door opened, we would just stop," remembers Erich, "’cause if the door opens, then the coach or someone else is coming in to see - and you don’t really want that."
In locker boxing, kids aim for each other’s heads – in the mistaken belief that they’re safe because they’re wearing a helmet and gloves.
"But just because they’re wearing a helmet does not mean that they can’t get a concussion," says Dr. Deborah Young, a pediatrician with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
And that ignorance can have serious consequences. First – even if kids recognize the symptoms of a concussion (headache, dizziness, blurred vision), there’s a good chance they won’t tell anyone and will continue to play. And playing a sport while not fully recovered from a concussion can lead to a more serious injury, called "second impact syndrome."
"It’s the second head injury, on top of the first head injury, that can cause serious neurological deterioration, mental deterioration," says Dr. Young. "And I’ve seen in some of the books, [it] can even lead to death."
Researchers say parents need to get the message across, loud and clear. "This is not benign," says Dr. Young. "This really could potentially hurt you. You could get a concussion that could potentially give you brain damage, and you should not participate in this kind of locker activity."
Erich, meanwhile, stopped locker boxing long ago. "It’s just kind of pointless," he says, "and all it does is create tension between the team."
Tips for Parents
- Some signs and symptoms of a concussion are headache, nausea, dizziness or balance problems, sensitivity to light or noise, irritability, concentration or memory problems and sadness. Your teen may be more emotional, or complain of feeling slowed-down, "foggy" or "not sharp" – and their sleep patterns may change. (University Interscholastic League)
- After a concussion, your teen may be confused and not remember the impact that caused the concussion. Anyone who has had a concussion is at higher risk of having another in the future. (Mayo Clinic)
- If your teen has had a concussion, seek medical attention right away. A healthcare professional can determine the severity of the concussion – and when it is safe for your child to return to sports. Make sure all your child’s coaches know about your teen’s concussion – they may not know about it until you’ve told them. And remind your teen that it’s better to miss one game than the whole season (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- If your teen lost consciousness from a concussion, they should not play sports for at least three months. (National Library of Medicine/ National Institutes of Health)
- Treating a concussion means allowing the brain time to heal. Treatment includes rest, observation by a responsible adult and limiting your child’s exposure to certain drugs. It also means preventing any re-injury that might jolt or jar your teen’s head. (NYU Medical Center)
References
- The Children’s Hospital, Denver
- Heads Up: Concussion in High School Sports, CDC
- American Academy of Family Physicians
