Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 29, 2025
Modified Drop Tower Impact Tests for American Football Helmets
Published on: February 19, 2017
The cost of a single concussion in American high school football: a retrospective cohort study
Aaron M Yengo-Kahn1,2, Patrick D Kelly1, David C Liles1
1Department of Neurological Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
Aim:
The potential financial burden of American football-related concussions (FRC) is unknown. Our objective was to describe the healthcare costs associated with an FRC and determine factors associated with increased costs.
Methodology/Results:
A retrospective cohort study of concussed high school football players presenting between November 2017 and March 2020 was undertaken; 144 male high school football players were included. Total costs were about $115,000, for an average direct healthcare cost of $800.10/concussion. Visiting the emergency department (β = 502.29, 95% CI: 105.79-898.61; p = 0.01), the initial post-concussion symptom scale score (β = 0.39, 95% CI: 0.11-0.66; p = 0.01) and a post-concussion syndrome diagnosis (β = 670.37, 95% CI: 98.96-1241.79; p = 0.02) were each independently associated with total costs.
Conclusion:
A granular understanding of cost-driving factors associated with FRC is the first step in understanding the cost-effectiveness of prevention and treatment methods.
