Peer-led education
Peer-led education programs, such as You-CAN, can help high-school students better understand and deal with a concussion. Because youth are strongly influenced by their social networks, peer education can shape students’ knowledge (what they know about concussion), attitudes (what they think about concussion), and intended behaviours (how they would act if they experienced a concussion…
Treating sport-related concussion with exercise
For decades, rest has been prescribed for sport-related concussion symptoms. But new evidence suggests that mild to moderate aerobic exercise can be a safe and effective concussion treatment. In fact, exercise can help speed up recovery and help athletes who experience symptoms beyond the expected recovery period.
“That’s a Blue for you”: Referee experiences managing concussion injury risk in Canadian amateur rugby
People who are into sports like soccer and rugby are familiar with yellow and red cards. When an official presents a player with a yellow card, that’s a warning that they’ve committed an offence on the playing field. A red card means the player must leave the field immediately and can no longer take part…
Baseline testing for Para athletes
Baseline testing can help to identify when an athlete is ready to return to play following a concussion. However, it’s important that healthcare providers to be aware of the symptoms and signs that can exist in a Para athlete’s non-concussed state. For example, athletes with cognitive impairment may have difficulties with memory and concentration, and…
You-CAN
The Youth Concussion Awareness Network (You-CAN) is a novel, peer-led program focused on concussion education and awareness for high-school students across Canada. Findings from the use of You-CAN program in school settings show that youth with higher concussion knowledge are more likely to report a concussion to an adult and to provide social support to…
Building partnerships
With limited resources for research initiatives, partnering with external research or community groups can increase a sport organization’s capacity to conduct concussion injury prevention work. Developing initiatives with these partners, such as universities and hospitals, can help sport organizations gain access to trained staff capable of taking on some of the research burden.
Evidence-based changes
To be effective, strategies to reduce the risk of concussion should be both targeted and sport-specific. Sport-specific knowledge about how concussions occur and where the highest risks exist will help sport organizations develop effective strategies. After a new strategy is introduced, ongoing re-evaluation and data collection is vital for assessing its success and impact.
Concussion reporting
Did you know that an athlete’s decision to report a concussion is influenced by their age and gender? While girls and women aged 13 and older are more likely to report concussion symptoms than boys and men in the same age group, research shows that girls under the age of 13 are less likely to…
Reducing concussion risk
Female athletes may be at a higher risk of sustaining a concussion than male athletes. Evidence-informed strategies to help reduce concussion risk among women, girls and female athletes include encouraging them to check their helmet’s fit regularly and incorporating neck strengthening exercises into their training programs.
Concussion reporting
Attitudes and social norms that prioritize athlete performance can prevent parents and guardians from discussing concussion reporting with their kids. Educational initiatives targeting parents and guardians are needed to address these attitudes and norms, while emphasizing the benefits of parent/guardian-athlete communication, such as developing closer bonds.