NATA: Recommendations issued for sport concussion management
(HealthDay)—Recommendations have been developed for management of sport-related concussion. The recommendations have been published online March 7 in the Journal of Athletic Training as a National Athletic Trainers' Association Position Statement.
Steven P. Broglio, Ph.D., from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and colleagues reviewed the most current evidence and produced best-practice guidelines for the management of sport-related concussions. Recommendations were classified as relating to education and prevention; documentation and legal aspects; evaluation and return to play; and other considerations.
According to the authors, the proper terminology should be used for concussion and mild traumatic brain injury, rather than colloquial terms. Parents and coaches should be educated about certain aspects of concussion, including prevention, mechanism, recognition and referral, and cognitive restrictions. Trainers should be aware of relevant governing bodies and their policies relating to management of concussion; the athlete's understanding of concussive signs and symptoms should be documented. Athletes with concussions should be monitored and should not be returned to play on the day of injury, or until they have been evaluated and cleared by a physician.
"With the continued national spotlight on concussions from professional to youth sports, these recommendations provide a practical roadmap for athletic trainers, physicians, and other medical professionals on injury identification and management," Broglio said in a statement.
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