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Sport related concussion is a traumatic brain injury resulting from a blow to the head or body which results in forces being transmitted to the brain. This typically presents as a rapid onset of short-lived impairment of brain function that resolves spontaneously.
This impairment results from a functional disturbance, rather than a structural injury, and no abnormality is seen on standard hospital scans. A range of signs and symptoms are typically seen, affecting the player's thinking, memory, mood, behaviour, level of consciousness, and various physical effects. Clear loss of consciousness occurs in less than 10% of cases.
Recovery typically follows a sequential course over a period of days or weeks, although in some cases symptoms may be prolonged.
Signs of concussion – what you might see
Signs of concussion – what you might see
A patient may have any of the following:
A patient may have any of the following:
Any one or more of the following visual clues can indicate a concussion:
Dazed, blank or vacant look
Lying motionless on ground / slow to get up
Unsteady on feet / balance problems or falling over / poor coordination
Loss of consciousness or responsiveness
Confused / not aware of play or events
Grabbing / clutching of head
Seizure (fits)
More emotional / irritable than normal for that person
We recommend players and coaching staff access, print off and keep a copy of the concussion pocket recognition tool, recommended by FIFA, the RFU and the International Olympic Committee. You can access this by clicking the hyperlink above.
Symptoms of concussion – what the injured player might feel
Symptoms of concussion – what the injured player might feel
Presence of any one or more of the following symptoms may suggest a concussion:
Presence of any one or more of the following symptoms may suggest a concussion:
Headache
Dizziness
Mental clouding, confusion, or feeling slowed down
Visual problems
Nausea or vomiting
Fatigue
Drowsiness / feeling like 'in a fog' / difficulty concentrating
'Pressure in head'
Sensitivity to light or noise
Symptoms of post-concussion syndrome
Symptoms of post-concussion syndrome
These can include any of the symptoms of concussion, and/or:
These can include any of the symptoms of concussion, and/or:
seizures, including those without physical movement when the patient ‘goes blank’ for a few seconds
cognitive problems, such as difficulty with concentrating or making decisions
emotional or behavioural problems, such as depression or exhibiting a loss of self-control
Emergency signals & when to call an ambulance
Emergency signals & when to call an ambulance
Call an ambulance if the patient shows any of the following:
Call an ambulance if the patient shows any of the following:
severe neck pain (don’t move the patient if at all possible)
deteriorating consciousness
increasing confusion or irritability
severe headache
repeated vomiting
unusual behaviour
convulsions
problems with seeing or hearing
weakness or tingling in arms or legs
Who's at risk?
Who's at risk?
Concussions can happen to players at any age. However, children and adolescents (18 and under) are more susceptible to brain injury. They also:
take longer to recover
have more significant memory and mental processing issues
are more susceptible to rare and dangerous neurological complications, including death caused by a single or second impact.
Other risk factors include having had previous concussions (which also increases recovery time) and being female.
Concussion Information & Advice
Concussion Information & Advice
The booklet on the right contains useful information regarding how to recognise a concussion, as well as how to manage the symptoms, do's & dont's in your recovery, and a guided return to play protocol. It may be useful to print and keep in your kit-bag in case it's needed.
concussion leaflet 3.pdfConcussion awareness training can be completed through the RFU and the FA, online and for free. These are excellent modules for players, coaches and parents to take in order to recognise and safely manage a concussion episode.
Checking with your player
Checking with your player
To help establish whether a player is injured, you can ask them a number of questions: incorrect answer(s) may suggest that they have a concussion. Please be aware that if they answer these correctly this DOES NOT mean they do not have a concussion.
Some examples questions can be seen below – tailor them to your particular activity and even:
What venue are we at today / where are we now?
Which half is it now / approximately what time of day is it?
Who scored last in this game /how did you get here today?
What team did you play last game / where were you on this day last week?
Did your team win the last game / what were you doing this time last week?
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