The right-hander was hit on his head 13 times while batting on the cricket field (Pic: Instagram)
Will Pucovski is considered Australia’s greatest ever cricket talent - despite playing just one game in his four years of international career. However, the 27-year-old has announced retirement from all forms of sport due to concussions—a serious medical condition.
Pucovski’s promising career halted as he had to be away from the sport after suffering from a concussion after being hit by Tasmanian pacer Riley Meredith. The former rising star opener informed his fans that he would not play cricket at any level anymore and instead would be transitioning towards commentary and coaching. The right-hander was hit on his head 13 times while batting on the cricket field. After the match, a Cricket Australia medical panel recommended that he call time on his young career to safeguard his future.
“I wish I was coming in maybe under better circumstances. I’m not going to be playing cricket again. It’s been a really difficult year, to put it as simply as possible. I’d need a few hours, I think, to take you through the whole journey, but the simple message is I won’t be playing cricket at any level again," Pucovski said in a conversation on SEN Radio.
What is a concussion?
A concussion is a head injury that happens when your brain moves or twists inside your skull. According to doctors, concussions are a type of traumatic yet most common brain injury that people experience.
While they may not be life-threatening, the effects of concussion can be serious and last for days, weeks, or even longer. One concussion usually does not lead to permanent brain damage, but experiencing them multiple times can change your brain’s structure or how it works—causing complications and increasing the risk of developing serious health conditions.
Signs and symptoms of concussions
Concussions can stretch and injure nerves and blood vessels in your brain, leading to chemical changes that make your brain stop working like it should. A few symptoms that may start right away after the injury include:
- Severe headaches and feelings of pressure in your head
- Neck pain
- Balance issues, which include dizziness
- Feeling lightheaded
- Nausea and vomiting
- Double and blurred vision
- Light sensitivity
- Hearing ringing in your ears
- Sound sensitivity
- Temporary loss of consciousness
- Trouble concentrating or focusing.
- Amnesia and short-term memory loss
- Feeling fatigued all the time
- Having trouble falling or staying asleep
- Sleep less than usual
-
Causing irritability
- Mood swings
- Depression and sadness
- New or increased anxiety or feeling nervous
What all causes concussions, and what are the risk factors?
Concussions happen when something jolts or shakes your body with a lot of force—moving your brain and damaging it. Since your brain tissue is soft and squishy and is surrounded by cerebrospinal fluid, a hard smack can affect it in a big way. This force can twist and damage the tiny nerves and blood vessels in your brain.
The most common causes of concussions include:
- Falls
- Vehicle accidents
- Physical violence like fights or assaults
- Sports injuries
What are the complications caused by concussions?
Concussions can cause some serious complications, which include:
- Post-concussion syndrome, which happens when recovering from a concussion takes an unusually long time. You might experience symptoms for much longer than usual after the original injury.
- Bleeding inside your skull
- Brain swelling
- Midline shift, in which your brain moves off-center inside your skull
- Skull fractures
- Dementia
- Memory loss
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