New Concussion Guidelines released for Youth and Community Sport

Written on the 6 February 2024 by SWSAS

The Australian Sports Commission, in conjunction with the Australian Institute of Sport and Sports Medicine Australia this week released the new Australian Concussion Guidelines for Youth and Community Sport.

These guidelines have been developed in a collaboration between the Australian Institute of Sport, Sports Medicine Australia, the Australasian College of Sport and Exercise Physicians, and the Australian Physiotherapy Association. They bring together the most contemporary evidence-based information on concussion for athletes, parents, teachers, coaches and healthcare practitioners.

The South West Sydney Academy of Sport endorses these guidelines for use within all of our sporting programs.

Additionally, the timing of the release of these guidelines and a return to sport for the majority of our athletes serves as a timely reminder to all athletes of the Academy that even if your injury, suspected head knock or suspected concussion happens outside of an Academy training session or event, a written medical certificate and/or clearance from a medical practitioner is required before the athlete can return to train or play.

Further resources can be found at https://www.concussioninsport.gov.au/ or via the Academy Athlete and Parent Resource page.

#wearesouthwestsydney

Extract from SMA Website: 

Sports Medicine Australia CEO Jamie Crain said: 

“People involved in sport need more than theory and these practical steps such as the graded return to sport framework, provides just what is needed.” 

The AIS 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, as long as the symptoms quickly resolve at the completion of exercise, and as long as 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 a fully return to learn/work activities.