Traumatic Brain Injury and Its Impact on Athletes and U.S. Military Members/Veterans

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a sudden injury that causes damage to the brain as the result of a blow to the head. Concussions are one type of mild TBI, which can sometimes be serious. More severe TBI can lead to serious physical and psychological symptoms, coma and even death.

In a recent study, researchers found that former professional soccer players had a higher neurodegenerative disease mortality than average. The study reported athletes’ brains frequently showed a neurodegenerative pathology related to TBI.

About 1.7 million people suffer from TBIs every year, with approximately 75% of cases being mild or concussions and 10% being severe. The most recent TBI data available show that there were nearly 61,000 TBI-related deaths in 2019.

The Thought Leadership & Innovation Foundation (TLI) works to analyze the data around TBI to learn who is most at risk and what programs can be developed to improve prevention and treatment. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) shows promising outcomes for patients, but this approach is under-researched and under-funded. 

Our approach to any chronic health issue is to ask the questions that matter and gather and analyze data from diverse stakeholders and patient populations. Ultimately, our goal is to improve the lives and communities impacted by TBI. 

Alarming Impact of TBI 

Athletes

Approximately 1.6 to 3.8 million sports-related TBIs occur every year, accounting for roughly 15% of all high school sport-related trauma reported. It’s likely that these numbers may be considered an underestimate due to failures in reporting of head injuries sustained or seeking medical attention. In fact, approximately 55% of pediatric athletes who sustained a concussion and 42% of adults with a mild TBI did not seek medical care. 

Impact on Military 

From 2000-2017, more than 375,000 military members have been diagnosed with TBI—82% suffered from mild cases, 9% suffered from moderate cases and 1% suffered from severe cases. TBIs among veterans are generally caused by explosions in combat. A complicating risk factor for mild TBI is a person's lifetime accumulation of TBI events. Receiving multiple concussions has been associated with greater risk of developing a neurodegenerative disease like chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

Addressing TBI as Thought Leaders

When addressing TBI, we intend to drive innovation by analyzing data and focusing on the complex challenges surrounding this issue to gain a better understanding of the demographics and patient communities involved. Our innovative approach is geared toward prevention and treatment, improving patient outcomes and helping health care organizations gain a coordinated, cohesive set of actions to effect real change. Better data leads to better care.

For more information or to become a partner or donor, contact the foundation.