Probability of a Sports-Related Concussion
1.88 per 1,000 athlete exposures
Per-event probability in US
There are an estimated 1.6-3.8 million sports-related concussions per year in the US, with football, soccer, and hockey at highest risk.
Sports-related concussions affect an estimated 1.6 to 3.8 million Americans each year, according to the CDC. Among high school athletes, the overall concussion rate is approximately 1.88 per 1,000 athlete exposures (practices and games combined), though this varies dramatically by sport.
Football has the highest concussion rate among high school sports at about 6.4 per 10,000 athlete exposures, followed by boys' ice hockey (5.4), girls' soccer (3.4), boys' lacrosse (3.0), and girls' basketball (2.1). Among college athletes, rates are similar, with football, ice hockey, and wrestling topping the list. Female athletes tend to have higher concussion rates than males in comparable sports.
Concussion management has evolved significantly, with current guidelines emphasizing rest followed by graduated return-to-play protocols. Most concussions resolve within 7-10 days, but about 10-30% of individuals develop persistent post-concussion symptoms. Repeated concussions are a significant concern, as they can lead to prolonged recovery, and cumulative brain trauma has been linked to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Rule changes, better helmets, and concussion protocols have helped reduce rates in some sports.
Use This in a Decision
Plug this probability into our expected value calculator to make a data-driven decision.
Start a Decision