Concussion is a brain injury resulting in a disturbance of brain function. It affects the way a person thinks, feels and remembers things.

 

Concussion can affect an individual in a variety of ways, including: - Physical - Cognitive - Emotional  - Sleep  - Fatigue

 

A concussion occurs through a collision with another person or object where biomechanical forces to the head, or anywhere on the body transmit an impulsive force to the head/brain.

 

In most cases, this results in transient neurological impairment. It should be noted that concussion can also occur with relatively minor ‘knocks’

 

The risk of complications from concussion is increased if a player is permitted to return to sport before they have fully recovered.

 

It is important that athletes do not return to contact activities or competition, until they have fully recovered. The graded return to sport framework (GRTSF) for community and youth assists athletes/coach/parents/teachers with concussion management through the recovery process and time frames for a safe return to sport/learn.  

 

The return to sport protocol for community and youth sport includes.  

• Introduction of light exercise after an initial 24-48 hours of relative rest.

• Several checkpoints to be cleared prior to progression.

• Gradual reintroduction of learning and work activities. As with physical activity, cognitive stimulation such as using screens, reading, undertaking learning activities should be gradually introduced after 48 hours.

• At least 14 days symptom free (at rest) before return to contact/collision training. The temporary exacerbation of mild symptoms with exercise is acceptable, if the symptoms quickly resolve at the completion of exercise, and if the exercise-related symptoms have completely resolved before resumption of contact training.

• A minimum period of 21 days until the resumption of competitive contact/collision sport.

• Consideration of all symptom domains (physical, cognitive, emotional, fatigue, sleep) throughout the recovery process.

• Return to learn and work activities should take priority over return to sport. That is, while graduated return to learn/work activities and sport activities can occur simultaneously, the athlete should not return to full contact sport activities until they have successfully completed fully return to learn/work activities.

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More detail can be found here.