Concussion Concerns: Why Female Athletes May Face Higher Risk

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as many as 3.8 million young athletes in the United States suffer a concussion every year. That staggering number hides a quieter pattern: in several sports, girls and women are getting knocked out more often than their male counterparts.

Doctors point to a mix of physical differences and the way symptoms are reported. Women tend to be more forthcoming about headaches, blurry vision or memory lapses, while boys often downplay what they feel. The result? Higher recorded rates for females, especially in soccer, basketball and lacrosse.

Ashleigh Dixon knows the story all too well. She was in seventh grade when a hard charge in a lacrosse game sent her head slamming into the ground. "I blacked out for a few minutes," she recalls. The sidelines checked her, she said she felt fine, and she went back in. It wasn’t until the car ride home, when she fell asleep in the back seat, that her parents sensed something was wrong.

What followed was a cascade of symptoms: a constant feeling of fever while studying, squinting despite perfect vision, and an exhausting fatigue that lingered for weeks. After six weeks of recovery, Ash returned to practice—only to get hit again, this time with a stick, and earn a second concussion. She wrestled with the urge to stay silent, but spoke up, and a year later, a third concussion in basketball added to the tally.

College didn’t give her a break. After transferring to Detroit Mercy, Ash suffered another concussion during her freshman season, and the last one came in February 2025 during a lacrosse drill. "My body wanted to keep playing, but my brain told me otherwise," she says, noting that the injury finally closed the door on her athletic career.

Neurologist Dr. Daniel Miller of Henry Ford Health says each successive concussion raises the stakes. "The more you have, the more concerned you should be," he warns. The CDC’s data backs him up: football leads youth sports in concussion numbers, but girls’ soccer ranks a close second. In both soccer and basketball, studies show females experience almost twice the concussion rate of males playing the same sport.

Why the disparity? Physics, for one. On average, female athletes have less body mass and smaller neck circumference, which means less natural cushioning when a collision occurs. "Neck size helps distribute force away from the head," Dr. Miller explains. Moreover, the symptoms themselves can look different—girls often report headaches and visual issues, while boys are more likely to mention irritability or sleep trouble. Recovery times also vary; women typically need about a week longer to feel back to normal.

Researchers are busy hunting solutions. A Purdue University study suggests that inflating soccer balls on the low‑end of the pressure range can shave roughly 20 % off the force that reaches a player’s head. In high‑school lacrosse, a University of Florida Health trial found that helmets dramatically lowered concussion odds for female players, even though most girls currently wear only mouthguards and protective eyewear.

Ash tried a helmet during a scorching Texas summer and hated it—too hot, too restrictive, and it messed with her vision. Still, she believes the sport would be safer if helmets became standard. "You shouldn’t have to choose between comfort and protecting your brain," she says.

Dr. Miller is quick to add that he doesn’t want concussion worries to keep kids off the field. Sports offer priceless physical, social and mental benefits. But safety has to stay front‑and‑center. "The athletes who last the longest are the ones who listen to their bodies and step back when needed," he notes.

Today Ash has graduated, is heading to law school, and lives with lingering migraines and worsening eyesight. She uses her experience to urge other athletes: "Don’t be scared to speak up. It’s painful to sit on the sidelines, but pushing through a hidden brain injury can ruin your life later on."

The next steps, experts say, involve more sport‑specific research, better equipment standards, and a cultural shift that makes concussion symptoms a serious conversation among players, coaches and parents alike. The CDC’s HEADS UP program remains a valuable resource for anyone wanting to learn how to recognize and manage head injuries in high school sports.