Concussion 

"Concussion" derives from the Latin verb concutere, which means "to shake violently" (Maroon J, et al 2000). Concussion, has been explained as a sudden and transient alteration in consciousness ( Khurana, 2017). It is an injury to the brain which disrupts the way the brain functions. Some symptoms include, sensitivity to light, change in mood, headaches and vomiting. A small amount of research has looked into what has been described as "Second Impact Syndrome" (SIS) . Typically, this would be when an athlete suffers post-concussive symptoms following a head injury. If within only a few weeks, the athlete returns to play and then experiences a second head injury the result could be fatal. It is suggested that in young and what might be considered 'healthy athletes' could die within only a few minutes (Tareg et al, 2009). This really drives home the importance of accurate and prompt diagnosis and then a safe implementation of a Return2Play protocol.

There are a number of assessments / tools that are used both in clinics and pitch side, when dealing with a suspected concussion. Some examples are SAC, PCS and SCAT5 just to name a few. The assessments look at collating the findings of signs and symptoms as well as taking into account the cause of injury. These assessments are useful screening tools that give the clinician clinical reasoning based on the probability taking into account the score from the screening as well as the cause of injury. Scans such as CT scans are not often used due to subjecting the injured person to a level of radiation. MRIs might be used if the injured persons recovery is taking longer than expected to recover and or if there is a suspected skull fracture and or bleeding for example. For some this is also less frequently used, due to the costs associated with the scan. It is important to highlight also that structural abnormalities on a standard MRI and or CT scan, are absent in Concussion. At a microscopic level however there might be ultrastructural changes found in the brain (Vini G, et al 2011).

The NFL have stated that there were 149 concussions suffered in 271 games in 2022 which makes it an 18% rise from 2021. I am pretty sure I just heard you gasp in shock. On first reading, this can be a concern. Of course, that is a high level of incidence, with almost 60% of the games played resulting in a player being diagnosed with a Concussion. The way I read this, leaves me feeling more reassured. More reassured that our medical teams and personnel that are responsible for the well being of our athletes, are likely to be now making more accurate assessments. This could be due to the education and or facilities being provided, being much more improved. Either way, this to me shows the level of importance and focus that is surrounding Concussion overall. Should there be more done to reduce the incidences of concussions rather in the diagnosis? The old saying 'Prevention is better than cure' comes to mind.