All Articles by Lindsey Barton Straus, JD

Many primary care physicians lack confidence in their ability to diagnose and manage concussions, says a new University of Washington study, although doctors receiving a concussion education toolkit were significantly less likely to recommend next day return to play after concussion, consistent with current guidelines.

Nearly half of Canadian doctors and physical therapists surveyed were willing to return a child to sport even if they were experiencing more than minimal pain, a new study finds.

Pioneering concussion expert, Dr. Robert Cantu, issues revised return to play guidelines focusing on loss of consciousness, post-traumatic amnesia, concussion number, and time signs and symptoms take to clear at rest and with progressive exertion as factors.

Athletic trainers and primary care physicians evaluate and manage most concussions in high school sports, but the small percentage of athletes returned to play by a non-medical professional is worrying, says a new study.

That the number of emergency department visits by children and teens for sports and recreation-related concussion jumped over 60 percent from 2001 to 2009 may be good news, says The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which attributed the rise to increased awareness of sports parents and coaches about the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of brain injuries.

Less than half of athletes return to their pre-injury level or to competitive sports in the period 2 to 7 years after ACL reconstruction surgery, although younger athletes return at a higher rate.  Return to sport at 12 months was not predictive of participation at the pre-injury level in the medium term, reports a new Australian study.

With the concussion safety laws now in place in a virtually all U.S. states, coaches play an increasingly important role in concussion safety, especially in the all-important decision about whether to remove an athlete from play for further evaluation.

The potential for a concussion at school is greatest during activities where collisions can occur, such as during physical education (PE) class, playground time, or school-based sports. Proper recognition and response to concussion symptoms in the school environment can prevent further injury and can help with recovery.

On August 30, 2011, Delaware Governor Jack Markell signed Senate Bill No. 111 into law, adding the state to the list of twenty-eight states and the District of Columbia that have enacted statutes to protect student-athletes from the dangers of concussion.