Australian sporting body releases concussion guidelines for all community sport

Was a little unsure where to put this but given it will affect Community sides I assume this was the best fit:

New concussion guidelines for junior and community sport recommend athletes wait three weeks before resuming competitive contact action.

The guidelines, released today, were developed by the Australian Institute of Sport [AIS] in co-operation with Sports Medicine Australia, along with doctors and physiotherapists.

They align with guidelines adopted in the UK and New Zealand.

Under the framework, athletes would be able to return to light exercise 24-48 hours after suffering a concussion but would have to wait 14 days without symptoms before returning to contact training.

A minimum period of 21 days has been recommended before athletes return to competitive sport.

The guidelines also prioritise the concussed person's return to work or school over a return to competitive contact sport.

AIS chief medical officer David Hughes said people associated concussion with high-level sport, but that was not always the case.

"Ninety-five per cent of concussions are not occurring in the elite level," he told ABC News Breakfast.

"Everybody sees the elite level in their lounge room … from multiple angles, close-up and all that, and it causes a lot of the alarm. And we know there is alarm and concern not just in the sports sector but in the Australian community."

Dr Hughes said the feedback from parents and people involved in junior and community sport was that there was no consistency in concussion guidelines across sports.

"We hear stories all the time from teachers … they have, say, a 15-year-old playing a particular sport for their school, they suffer a concussion, the school tries to do the right thing by following the concussion protocol for that particular sport, they then find out that the same person is playing two other sports external to the school that have different return-to-play protocols," he said.

"We need to have one set of guidelines that are followed by all sports at the youth and community level."

Australian Sports Commission CEO and former swimmer Kieren Perkins said having consistent guidelines across Australia, the UK and New Zealand was a considerable achievement.

"I am proud that Australia, along with the UK and New Zealand, is leading the world in concussion guidelines for youth and community sport, ensuring sport remains a safe and welcoming environment for all," he said.

Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said the new advice would be reassuring for parents.

"They've watched the stories about the impact on some of our best-known sports stars who played at an elite level, but they also see this happen on the sporting grounds every weekend when their kids are playing," he told ABC News Breakfast.

"They want to know what to do, and now we have some advice about what to do."

One of the new recommendations is that a "concussion officer" be appointed in school and community settings to co-ordinate the response to a concussion incident.

"Having concussion officers in sporting clubs to make sure that people are followed up, referred to their GP, I think is also really important," Mr Butler said.

The guidelines can be accessed through a website set up by the AIS and the Australian Sports Commission.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-02-...port/103412576