No-one should return to sport within 24 hours of a suspected concussion, according to new guidelines published by the Government and the Sport and Recreation Alliance.
Developed by an expert panel of domestic and international clinicians and academics in neurology and sports medicine, the guidelines are the first UK-wide Concussion Guidelines for Grassroots Sport.
They will help players, coaches, parents, schools, national governing bodies and sports administrators to identify, manage and prevent concussions.
And our executive director of partnerships, Phil Smith, believes the guidelines are a big sign of progress.
“The publication of this guidance is extremely welcome in ensuring that the hundreds of thousands of people taking part in grassroots sport every single week will be better protected from the potentially devastating effects of concussion," he said.
“We want people of all ages to take part in sport and physical activity sessions that are safe and thanks to this guidance, everyone involved in grassroots sport, including participants, parents, teachers and administrators will now be able to improve their understanding of concussion and have access to expert advice.”
Along with the publication of the guidelines comes a request to all those involved in grassroots sport to read the guidance in order to:
- recognise the signs of concussion
- remove anyone suspected of being concussed immediately
- return safely to daily activity, education/work and, ultimately, sport.
To assist with identifying a concussion, the guidelines recommend calling NHS 111 within 24 hours of a potential concussion, as well as resting and sleeping as much as needed for the first 24-48 hours and avoiding screen time.
Then, to reduce the risks of a slow recovery, further brain injury and longer-term problems, the advice is to return to activities such as work, education or sport in a gradual manner.
If symptoms persist for more than four weeks, the individual should seek further guidance and assessment by an appropriate healthcare professional.