Prevention

Some tips that may help you to prevent or minimize your risk of head injury include:

• Wearing protective gear during sports and other recreational activities. Make sure the equipment fits properly, is well maintained and is worn correctly. Follow the rules of the game and practice good sportsmanship.

  When bicycling, motorcycling, snowboarding or engaging in any recreational activity that may result in head injury, wear protective headgear.

• Buckling your seat belt. Wearing a seat belt may prevent serious injury, including head injury, during a traffic accident.
• Making your home safe. Keep your home well lit and your floors free of anything that might cause you to trip and fall. Falls around the home are a leading cause of head injury.
• Protecting your children. To help lessen the risk of head injuries to your children, block off stairways and install window guards.
• Exercising regularly. Exercise regularly to strengthen your leg muscles and improve your balance.
• Educating others about concussions. Educating coaches, athletes, parents and others about concussions can help spread awareness. Coaches and parents can also help encourage good sportsmanship.