More Than Just a Head Injury: Adolescent Girls’ Experiences with Sport-related Concussion
When we think about concussion recovery, we often focus on physical symptoms like headaches or dizziness, or when an athlete can safely return to play. But for adolescent girls, recovery is about much more than their brains healing. As part of my master's research, I interviewed eight adolescent girls who had experienced their first sport-related concussion. Their stories revealed that recovery was shaped not only by their symptoms but also by relationships, emotions, identity, and the culture of sport itself.
Many participants described recovery as a delicate balance between support and pressure. Parents, friends, and coaches often played an important role by checking in regularly, offering reassurance, and encouraging the girls to take the time they needed to heal. At the same time, many participants felt pressure to return to sport before they were truly ready. This pressure came from teammates, the demands of important competitions, and, perhaps most powerfully, from themselves, as they worried about letting their team down or missing key moments in the season.
Recovery also carried a significant emotional burden. Participants spoke about feeling frustrated, sad, anxious, and isolated while watching their teammates continue without them. For many, the uncertainty of not knowing when they would feel "normal" again made these emotions even harder to manage.
Girls reported sport was a central part of their identity. Being unable to train or compete disrupted daily routines and left some feeling as though they had lost a part of themselves. Many found comfort in staying connected to their teams by attending practices or games, even if they could not participate.
The girls also described gender-related challenges within sport. Some felt that girls' sports received less support and that their injuries were not taken as seriously as boys' injuries. Because concussions are invisible, several participants felt they had to prove that they were truly injured before others believed them.
Even after physical symptoms improved, many girls continued to struggle with confidence and fear. Worry about getting hurt again, falling behind, or returning before they were mentally ready often lingered long after medical clearance. One factor that consistently helped participants was talking with someone who had experienced a concussion themselves. This reminded the girls’ that they were not alone.
These findings highlight an important message: concussion recovery is more than healing from an injury; it is a social and emotional experience. Supporting young athletes requires addressing not only their physical symptoms but also the emotional challenges, social relationships, and sport environments that shape their recovery. By recognizing these broader influences, we can create more supportive, athlete-centred approaches to help girls recover with confidence and safely return to the sports they love.
Published August 4, 2026
About the author
Mason Hollebeke is a second-year master’s student in the Department of Pediatrics and Child Health at the University of Manitoba working under Dr. Kelly Russell. Her current research explores adolescent girls’ experiences of mental health and recovery following sport-related concussions, using a qualitative interpretive phenomenological approach. Mason was awarded the CIHR CGS-M to support her graduate research.