Concussions are in the news - for a couple of reasons. 

Sports players, especially football players suffer concussions.  When one helmet cracks against another it imparts an amazing amount of force.  Many athletes have been sidelined from concussions .  Not usually from one concussion but from successive concussions.  Once the brain has been rattled it appears to become more susceptible to further trauma .  Rushing back into the game can be the worst thing to do because the brain needs time to heal. Also the younger you are the more susceptible you are to further brain damage from concussion.

All of this has at least three important ramifications for motorcycle riders. 

1. First you should recognize that if you have suffered a concussion recently you should probably stay off your bike for at least a week.  This is so because your equilibrium may be sluggish and your thought processes slowed.
2. Second, if you have ever had a concussion, and I do not know many motorcycle riders who have not, you should wear a helmet.  You should wear a helmet because further concussions have a synergistic or compounding effect.  What this means is that the first concussion reduces your mental capability by let's say 5 percent.  If you another concussion which was exactly the same as the first concussion your mental capability will not be reduced by another 5% but by some higher percentage.

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