[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2016\/10\/baseball-brain-concussion-safety\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2016\/10\/baseball-brain-concussion-safety\/","headline":"Baseball and Concussion Safety","name":"Baseball and Concussion Safety","description":"Learn more about concussions from baseball, and read stories from professional players who received care at the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program.","datePublished":"2016-10-25","dateModified":"2021-03-23","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/sports-medicine-regions","name":"Sports Medicine","url":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/sports-medicine-regions","sameAs":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/sports-medicine\/","parentOrganization":"UPMC"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"UPMC HealthBeat","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/T-ball-scaled.jpg","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/T-ball-scaled.jpg","height":884,"width":2048},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2016\/10\/baseball-brain-concussion-safety\/","about":["Concussion","Health Topics A-Z","Sports Medicine"],"wordCount":315,"keywords":["baseball","Coach Category 3","concussion","professional players","sports"],"articleBody":"Although baseball is typically considered a non-contact sport, there have been sporadic incidents of concussion or other head injuries reported in baseball players. This is why parents, athletes, and coaches must remember that concussions can be a problem even in sports where they occur less frequently.Baseball and Concussion Safety\u201cBecause of foul tips, catchers, and actually umpires, are the most at risk for concussions on the baseball diamond,\u201d says Micky Collins, PhD, clinical and executive director at the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program. \u201cIn our clinic, approximately 60 percent of our baseball concussion patients are catchers.\u201dConcussions may also occur in baseball when athletes:Collide with teammates or opponentRun into fences, walls, or backstopsAre hit by a ball or bat\u201cIt\u2019s those typical dings that might not seem like significant hits that can be problematic,\u201d says Dr. Collins. \u201cCatchers often report subtle dizziness or fogginess. They may experience a dip in batting performance because they\u2019re having trouble seeing the ball. These can all be concussion symptoms.\u201dOther signs to look for in a potentially concussed athlete include:Severe headacheBlurred visionSensitivity to light or noiseNausea or vomitingChanges in moodIf a coach or parent suspects an athlete has suffered a concussion, remove him from play immediately. Only a medical professional trained in concussion can clear the athlete for return.During this baseball season, athletes can reduce their risk for concussion by following these tips:Avoid collisions at home plateWear properly fitted equipment like a catcher\u2019s mask and batting helmetStay alert while on the basesPractice protecting yourself from line drives, especially pitchers\u201cOnce an injury occurs the brain is in an extremely vulnerable state and more susceptible to additional injury,\u201d says Dr. Collins. \u201cIf you suspect a concussion, it\u2019s best to sit it out and seek help from your coach or athletic trainer.\u201d "},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2016","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2016\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"10","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2016\/\/10\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Baseball and Concussion Safety","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2016\/10\/baseball-brain-concussion-safety\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]