NCAA: Rate of concussions steady

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INDIANAPOLIS -- The NCAA reports that the rate of football-related concussions has remained steady over the past eight years.

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According to the NCAA's Injury Surveillance Program, there were 2.5 concussions reported for every 1,000 game-related exposures during the 2011 football season. Exposures are the periods of athletic-related activity when injuries can occur.

Football concussion rates increased over a two-decade period beginning in the early 1980s. The NCAA says the trend stabilized and became relatively flat from 2004-12.

NCAA director of health and safety David Klossner said improvements in the detection and clinical management of concussions could be among the factors that led to the increase up until 2004.

The rate stabilized as NCAA legislation, education and playing rules have been put in place to help athletic programs better recognize and treat concussions.

Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press

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