Concussion (traumatic brain injury)

Cause:

Impact during sports (header, fall, collision), followed by disruption of brain metabolism and stimulus processing.

At the Functional Neurology Institute (FNI) in Lisse, we are increasingly seeing professional footballers struggling with the serious consequences of brain injury, often sustained after repeated head contact or an acute collision. These injuries primarily occur during matches or training and can have serious, long-term consequences that extend far beyond the sporting domain. In many cases, these are young, talented athletes who, despite lengthy medical treatments, still struggle with residual symptoms that threaten their future in sports and society. A worrying aspect is the predisposition: once a brain injury has been sustained, there remains an increased vulnerability to new traumas with more serious consequences.

The societal impact of this type of injury is significant. Players are often sidelined for extended periods, suffer from cognitive, emotional, and physical complaints, and experience serious obstacles in the transition to a career after their professional career. This involves a process that we at FNI increasingly describe as a sliding scale of health, with systemic consequences for daily functioning.

Every contact sport has its repercussions, but within professional football—with its physical intensity and high tempo—the risk of brain injury is structurally present. However, what we see in our practice is that the diagnosis and therapeutic regimen still fall short too often. The current approach is often reactive and fragmented, with insufficient attention to the complexity of this type of injury. This leads to undertreatment and loss of valuable recovery time.

Symptoms:

Headaches, dizziness, difficulty concentrating, light sensitivity, delayed recovery after exertion.