John Elflein
Research expert covering health and health care
Concussion and traumatic brain injury in the U.S.- Statistics & Facts
A survey of U.S. adults from 2025 found that 29 percent had at some point been knocked out or lost consciousness, been dazed or confused, or had a gap in their memory after being hit in the head. It is very likely that these people suffered a concussion or brain injury. Concussion occurs when the head or body is hit or shaken hard enough that it moves and injures the brain. A concussion is also known as a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and is the most common type of such injuries. Symptoms of concussion include, but are not limited to, headache, nausea, difficulty concentrating and thinking clearly, and dizziness. In more extreme cases concussion can cause one to lose consciousness, and repeated concussions can lead to long-term problems affecting speech, learning, and memory, however, most people fully recover from concussions given rest and time. Despite how common and serious concussions and brain injuries can be only around 70 percent of U.S. adults report being somewhat familiar or very familiar with concussions, while just over half report being familiar with brain injuries.
Concussions and sports
Common ways in which people get concussions include falling, car accidents, and through sports. Sports-related concussions are especially common among high school students and in 2023 it was estimated that around 14 percent of high school students in the United States had a concussion from playing sports or being physically active. According to the CDC, the youth sports with the highest rates of concussion are boys' tackle football, girls' soccer, boys' lacrosse, and boys' ice hockey. It is therefore no surprise that boys are more likely to have a concussion than girls. In 2023, around 16 percent of high school boys reported having a concussion from playing sports or being physically active, compared to 12 percent of girls. Interestingly, the rate of sports-related concussions among high school students decreases with age, perhaps because they improve at the sport and become more cautious.Death from traumatic brain injury
Severe traumatic brain injuries (TBI) can cause similar, but more serious symptoms to a concussion, but can also result in permanent brain damage that requires physical or speech therapy, or even death. In 2023, there were almost 69,000 deaths in the United States related to traumatic brain injury. The most common causes of traumatic brain injury-related death in the United States are suicide, unintentional falls, and unintentional motor vehicle crashes. Those aged 75 years and older account for the highest number of traumatic brain injury-related deaths, with older people much more likely to die from a traumatic brain injury related to falling. It is recommended that even people with a mild TBI or concussion be seen by a health care professional and it is essential to take steps to prevent a head injury when possible, such as wearing a helmet while riding a bike, skiing or snowboarding, or skateboarding. A simple prevention measure such as wearing a helmet could be the difference between a mild concussion and a life changing or even deadly brain injury.John Elflein
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Mar 21, 2025
John Elflein
Research expert covering health and health care
