Concussion in Sport

Brain Injury Australia has been engaged in concussion education since it prepared a policy paper on concussion in sport for the Australian Government’s (then) Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs in 2012.

Since then, BIA has delivered a range of concussion education and training events for sports physicians, General Practitioners, physiotherapists, trainers, coaches and sports administrators, parents and players built around Brain Injury Australia’s “5Rs” of concussion:

A day-long training in best practice concussion assessment, treatment and management, led by Professor Barry Willer, Director of Research in the Concussion Management Clinic at the University at Buffalo in Western New York and, Professor Gary Browne, Director of the Sports Concussion Service at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, and Dr Julia Treleaven, from the Whiplash and Neck Pain Research Unit, the University of Queensland.

A selection of research studies and exercises on sports-related concussion by Barry Willer, Gary Browne, and other researchers.

The video below is the first output of a joint concussion education initiative between Brain Injury Australia and Sports Medicine Australia, built around Brain Injury Australia’s trademarked “5Rs” of concussion – “Recognise the injury, Removal from play, Referral to a doctor, Rest and then Return to play” – and presented by Dr. Michael Makdissi, a member of the international authority – the “Concussion in Sport Group” – and team doctor for the Australian Football League 2013, 2014, and 2015 premiership-winning Hawthorn Football Club.

While the video is aimed at Australia’s General Practitioners, Brain Injury Australia is sure that coaches, trainers, sports administrators, and parents, will find the video relevant to best-practice concussion assessment and management.

The Queensland Brain Institute, with the Australian Athletes’ Alliance – the peak body for Australia’s 3,500 elite professional athletes, comprising: the Australian Cricketers’ Association; the Australian Football League Players’ Association; the Australian Jockeys’ Association; the Australian Netball Players’ Association; the Australian Basketballers’ Association; Professional Footballers Australia; the Rugby League Players Association; and the Rugby Union Players’ Association – has launched a concussion education and research campaign, which “doesn’t want to change Aussie sport, just make players safer. Research is the key to solving concussion’s unanswered questions.”

Brain Injury Australia’s Executive Officer, Nick Rushworth, has been appointed an “Ambassador” for the campaign.

The Concussion in Sports Group has hosted five international Consensus Conferences since 2001. Each consensus conference has published a Concussion in Sport Consensus Statement summarising the findings of the group. These Consensus Statements have guided health care professionals and others to better manage sports-related concussion.

– Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT) 5
– Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT) 3
– The Child Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 5th Edition (Child SCAT5)
– The Child Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 3rd Edition (Child SCAT3)
– Concussion Recognition Tool 5th Edition (CRT5)

“The HeadSmart™ Sports Concussion Programme provides an end-to-end sports concussion solution for grassroots schools and clubs to the same standard as professional teams. Children and weekend warriors’ brains are no less important than high-earning athletes.”

“Keeping children and teens healthy and safe is always a top priority. Whether you are a parent, youth sports coach, school coach, school professional, or health care provider, this site will help you recognize, respond to, and minimize the risk of concussion or other serious brain injury.”