The effect of concussion on batting performance of major league baseball players

The Effects of Concussions on Batting Performance in Major League Baseball Players: A Critically Appraised Topic

Clinical Scenario: The impact of concussion in baseball athletes is far reaching although typically less studied than collision sports. The neuromotor sequelae of these injuries can have lasting effects on the high level of coordination needed in baseball skills. In professional athletes, the long-term effects of concussion combined with the high demands for performance can potentially shorten athletes' careers. Clinical Question: Do Major League Baseball players who have had a concussion compared with those with no history of concussions have decreased batting performance after they return to full participation? Summary of Key Findings: Seven articles meeting criteria for level 2 evidence were identified in this critically appraised topic. Four of 7 studies found deficits in batting performance following concussion. However, the 3 studies that did not identify differences lacked a comparative control group. Clinical Bottom Line: Evidence supports a relationship between concussion and decreased batting performance. This suggests there is a demand for screening and rehabilitation strategies aimed at improving sport-specific neuromotor and coordination skills in these individuals. Strength of Recommendation: Collectively, the body of evidence included to answer the clinical question aligns with the strength of recommendation of B.

Performance After Concussion in National Hockey League Players

CONTEXT

Concussions in ice hockey players are an interesting area of study due to the fast-paced and high-impact nature of the sport. Recently, researchers have focused on player performance after return from concussion to evaluate subclinical deficits that were previously missed.

OBJECTIVE

To examine National Hockey League (NHL) player performance from 2013 to 2019 and compare performance before a concussion with performance immediately after recovering to assess the current NHL return-to-play protocol.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

The NHL Injury Viz and sports reporting websites.

PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS

Players in the NHL who sustained concussions from 2013 to 2019.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

Goals, assists, points, plus-minus, time on ice (TOI), and hits.

RESULTS

When goals, assists, points, plus-minus, TOI, and hits were examined, only TOI was different after the players returned from injury, and this TOI difference was not substantively important.

CONCLUSIONS

After concussion, NHL player performance did not change.

Examining Batting Performance After a Sports-Related Concussion Among Major League Baseball Position Players

BACKGROUND

An ongoing challenge in sports-related concussion (SRC) is determining full recovery. This study examines performance metrics in baseball after an SRC and provides a template for assessment of return-to-performance parameters.

PURPOSE

To determine whether batting performance returns to baseline after an SRC.

STUDY DESIGN

Descriptive epidemiological study.

METHODS

Participants were all Major League Baseball (MLB) position players with confirmed SRCs that occurred during the 2011-2015 seasons. A retrospective review and assessment of performance metrics before and after injury were conducted as defined relative to the number of plate appearances (PAs) to yield reliable performance statistics. Seven batting metrics were considered as outcomes in longitudinal regressions: batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, on-base plus slugging, bases on balls, strikeouts, and home runs. Metrics were calculated for each player 60, 30, and 14 days before their SRCs, as well as for the 14, 30, and 60 days after returning to play. Other variables controlled for included defensive position, player age at the time of SRC, number of days missed, mechanism of injury, whether the player completed a rehabilitation stint, and year in which the mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) occurred (2011-2015).

RESULTS

A total of 77 MTBI case events occurred in MLB position players over 5 seasons. These injuries resulted in a mean 11.4 days lost to injury. For all performance metrics using 60 or 30 days before MTBI as baseline, no statistically significant differences were found in batting performance. In total, 63 events met PA criteria before injury. Varying the PA cutoff thresholds to be more inclusive or more restrictive yielded similar regression results. For the 48 events that met PA criteria before and after injury, most performance metrics showed no significant performance change after MTBI and, in some events, a slight though mostly nonsignificant performance improvement after MTBI.

CONCLUSIONS

MLB position players who are medically cleared to return to play after an SRC perform at the same offensive performance levels as their preinjury statistics when an adequate number of PAs is used to compare performance before and after injury.

Concussion Incidence and Impact on Player Performance in Major League Baseball Players Before and After a Standardized Concussion Protocol

Background:

Sports-related concussions have garnered significant attention in recent years because of the negative effects they can have on a player’s cognitive health and performance. In response to this growing concern, Major League Baseball (MLB) introduced a standardized concussion protocol during the 2011-2012 season.

Purpose/Hypothesis:

The purpose of this study was to compare the reported incidence of concussions and the subsequent performance of MLB players before and after the introduction of the standardized concussion protocol. We hypothesized that the introduction of the standardized concussion protocol would not have an impact on player performance postconcussion.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

Players who suffered a concussion between 2001 and 2018 were identified from the MLB transactions page. Incidence and player performance were compared before and after the introduction of the standardized concussion protocol. Player performance was evaluated using traditional data and sabermetric data, which are advanced statistics used in conjunction with standard statistics to better compare players and teams. Player averages were calculated and compared using paired t tests for 30 days before and after concussion, 1 year before and after concussion, and career before and after concussion. Averages were also compared before and after the institution of the standardized concussion protocol using independent-measures t tests.

Results:

There were a total of 114 players who suffered 142 concussions, with 77% of those occurring after the introduction of the concussion protocol (32 before, 110 after). The average time missed because of concussion significantly decreased from 33.7 days (range, 10-122 days) to 18.9 days (range, 6-111 days) after the concussion protocol (P = .0005). There was no difference in player performance (including batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging for batters; earned run average, fielding-independent pitching, and walks plus hits per inning pitched for pitchers) after concussion at any time point (30 days, 1 year, or career) when comparing these statistics before versus after the MLB concussion protocol. However, batter performance was significantly poorer 1 year after concussion and over the remainder of the players' careers (P < .05).

Conclusion:

The number of reported concussions increased after the introduction of the MLB concussion protocol. However, players spent significantly less time on the disabled list without any adverse effect on player performance. Despite these changes, long-term batting performance was significantly poorer after concussion.