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. 

When injury strikes

When an athlete sustains an injury, it can impact the entire team. When this happens, coaches can maintain a positive group environment by clearly communicating role adjustments, prioritizing the injured athletes’ well-being, and keeping the injured athlete connected to the team throughout the recovery process.

Women and concussions

Did you know that women often experience concussions differently than men, including worse symptoms and longer recovery time? Using magnetoencephalography (MEG), researchers from RENITA Medical and the Hospital for Sick Children are scanning the brains of women to learn more about the effects of concussion on women. MEG offers an objective way to diagnose concussions…

On the same page

Having a shared understanding of terms like systemic racism, unconscious bias and microaggressions is important for sport organizations working to create safe, welcoming and inclusive spaces. Respect Group offers definitions and resources to help sport organizations promote diversity and inclusion, while making sure everyone is on the same page.

Inclusive sport for parents

Safe Sport is about optimizing the sport experience for everyone involved in sport. The focus is often on athletes, but parents can also have negative experiences in their children’s sport environments. Inclusive language, behaviours and program design can help youth sport organizations to create positive, inclusive spaces for LGBTQI2S parents and participants.

Concussion risk

Did you know that some athletes are at a higher risk of sustaining a concussion than others? Recent research found that female soccer players are 1.8 times more likely to sustain a concussion than male soccer players. Coaches can work with female athletes on risk reduction strategies, such as proper heading techniques in soccer, to help reduce…

Injury assessments

Referees and sport officials play an important role in improving concussion safety by calling for injury assessments. Researchers have found that when referees and officials feel confident in their concussion knowledge and supported by sport stakeholders, they are more likely to call for an injury assessment. These findings highlight the importance of improving concussion education…

Process of change

The Safe Sport journey involves a cultural change in sport. Such a change can challenge traditionally accepted assumptions and practices, such as having coaches share hotel rooms with athletes to save costs or using exercise as punishment. For sport leaders, understanding the process of change and associated emotions (i.e., denial, resistance, exploration, commitment) is important…

Removal from play 

Female athletes are around 1.5 times less likely to be removed from play immediately following a concussion compared to male athletes. This inconsistency in immediate care may contribute to the increased number of symptoms and symptom severity seen in female athletes who sustain a concussion. The takeaway? Be sure to remove an athlete from play…