Managing successive minor head injuries: which tests guide return to play?

Abstract

This case report describes a female college basketball player who experienced brief loss of consciousness with hemiparesis after being struck in the jaw during a game. When she returned to play a month later, she sustained a second mild head injury, which resulted in persistent headache, cognitive difficulties, and reversal in hand dominance. She has since recovered fully. This case addresses return-to-play issues for the head-injured athlete, especially the risk of recurrent injury. It also illustrates the utility of neuropsychological testing when standard medical tests fail to detect any abnormalities.