How common are concussions in sports?
Nationwide, high school, college, and professional athletes suffer about 300,000 concussions a year. Football accounts for one-third of the total, by far the highest number of any sport. At the high school and college levels, some 20 percent of athletes who play contact sports have suffered at least one concussion. These figures have held steady for the last decade. But the problem has gained higher visibility in recent years, after concussions forced the retirements of several star players, including Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman. He joined stars in other sports, such as hockey great Pat LaFontaine, whose six concussions drove him into premature retirement in 1998. More recently, concussions have gained additional prominence thanks to the work of an unlikely authority, former professional wrestler Chris Nowinski.
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