Results from a study published online in The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association suggest that sports-related concussion symptoms may linger twice as long in adolescent girls compared with boys. 

The authors reviewed 212 medical records of athletes (102 female, 110 male) aged 11 to 18 years who were diagnosed with first-time concussion. They found the median duration of symptoms was 28 days for girls, compared to 11 days for boys. Further, symptoms resolved within 3 weeks for 42 percent of girls and 75 percent of boys. The authors suggest the extended recovery period may be linked to preexisting conditions more common in females, including migraines, depression, anxiety, and stress. Learn more...