Emily Hamilton-Smith's experience with delayed concussion symptoms

Emily Hamilton-Smith copped a rogue ball to the head during the 2022 Hockey One semi-final, but it wasn’t until a few days later she felt the impact of the injury.

The Hockey Club Melbourne defender said she felt nothing more than a lump on her head immediately after the incident but completed a range of concussion tests with the team physio out of precaution.

The twenty-one-year-old passed the concussion tests and went on to play in the bronze medal match, before returning to work and life as normal after the Hockey One season.

"It wasn't until a few days after the match that I began getting headaches, feeling nauseous and was unable to concentrate for short periods of time," Hamilton-Smith said.

"I also realised I couldn't remember anything from the game, so I decided to reach out to my doctor."

Hamilton-Smith's doctor diagnosed her with concussion and advised her to stay off her phone and avoid doing activities that required large amounts of concentration and physical activity until she could pass the necessary recovery milestones.

"I had never had a concussion before, but I knew I had to take it really seriously because obviously it’s your brain," Hamilton-Smith said.

"I had a camp coming up so I knew if I did everything right at the time, I’d be in the best possible position I could be for the camp."

While she went on to make a full recovery, Hamilton-Smith acknowledged that it wasn’t until she experienced a concussion herself that she understood the impact it can have on someone.

"It's super important that people who haven't had a concussion know what it's like so they can understand the physical and mental challenges that people with concussion are going through."