A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) that results from a bump, blow, or jolt to the head, or a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. This sudden movement can cause the brain to bounce or even twist inside the skull, stretching and damaging brain cells and creating chemical changes in the brain.

Because a single concussion is seldom life-threatening, concussions may be referred to as mild traumatic brain injuries, or mTBIs, to distinguish concussions from TBIs with more severe long-term outcomes. Despite this label, the effects of a concussion can still be very serious and should be treated as such. The brain continues to grow and develop into the mid-twenties; disruptions to that development from a TBI in childhood and adolescence can have long-term consequences on brain function.

TBIs have many causes: falls; motor vehicle crashes; sports/recreation activities; assaults, including domestic violence and/or child abuse; abusive head trauma (also known as shaken baby syndrome); and gunshot wounds.

Oklahoma has a law concerning sports-related head injuries that impacts all school districts and youth sports organizations. The most recent version of this legislation went into effect November 1, 2016 (70 O.S. § 24-155).

Mailing Address:
Oklahoma State Department of Health
Injury Prevention Service
123 Robert S. Kerr Ave., Suite 1702
Oklahoma City, OK 73102-6406

Physical Address:
Oklahoma State Department of Health
Injury Prevention Service
123 Robert S. Kerr Ave.
Oklahoma City, OK

Telephone: (405) 426-8440
Fax: (405) 900-7588
Email: concussion@health.ok.gov