Stirling expert contributes to overhaul of sports concussion guidance

A neuropsychologist at the University of Stirling has played a key role in an overhaul of the Scottish Sports Concussion Guidance to ensure it reflects the latest research advances.

The launch of the original national guidance in 2015 was a world first, bringing together medics, academics, sports, Scottish Government and sportscotland, the national agency for sport, to produce a single set of advice for all sports.

The new guidance details the latest recommendations for managing sports concussion in grassroots sports, from awareness of possible concussion symptoms through to the graduated return to activity and sport.

It is intended for the public and participants in grassroots sports, where healthcare professionals are typically not available onsite to manage concussion injuries.

The team of experts behind the guidelines includes representatives from the universities of Stirling, Edinburgh and Glasgow, the Scottish Football Association, Scottish Rugby, and the sportscotland institute of sport.

Professor Lindsay Wilson, a neuropsychologist at the University of Stirling Division of Psychology, part of the Faculty of Natural Sciences, is a member of the sportscotland/Scottish Government Concussion Advisory Group.

He said: “Recognising and addressing concussions promptly is crucial for protecting brain health and ensuring long-term wellbeing. These guidelines are designed to help anyone concerned about a head injury to identify the symptoms of concussion and know what should be done. This is an update of previous guidance developed in Scotland, that has since been adopted by other countries.”

Key updates

The key updates to the guidance are:

•    The previous graduated return to sport programme differentiated between adults and children/adolescents. The guidance is now the same for all ages.

•    Participating in light physical activity has now been shown to have a positive effect on recovery after the initial 24 to 48-hour period of relative rest.

•    All concussions should be managed individually, but there should be no return to competition before 21 days from the day of the injury.

•    Anyone with symptoms after 28 days should seek medical advice from their GP.

Some studies have also now shown that female athletes may be more susceptible to concussion and may take longer to recover from concussion which should also be considered.

If in doubt, sit them out

Chief Medical Officer for Scotland, Professor Sir Gregor Smith said: “It's important that everyone involved in sport, at any level, understands how to recognise sports concussion and what to do when they suspect it.

“This latest concussion guidance will help to ensure that those involved in grassroots sport in Scotland are best able to look after all participants.

“The message remains the same: all concussions are serious - if in doubt, sit them out.”

Professor Sir Gregor Smith, and Head of Sports Medicine at the sportscotland institute of sport, Dr Niall Elliott MBE, visited Leith Academy in Edinburgh to launch the new guidance.

They talked with players from the school’s girls’ rugby team about the risks of concussion and what to do if they suffer a suspected concussion or see a teammate or opponent who has.

Following the success of Scotland’s cross sport grassroots guidance, other nations are now adopting the ‘if in doubt, sit them out’ message. This includes the UK-wide guidance published last year and more recently in Australia and New Zealand.

This collaborative approach to sports concussion will help continue to highlight the importance of protecting sports participants should they suffer a concussion.

Most recent advances

Sports-related concussion education in Scotland has also seen significant progress in recent years. A new e-learning module is being made available to bring the updated guidance to life in a learning environment. Similar to the guidance, the module is designed for the general public and anyone involved in grassroots sports in any capacity, the online course takes around 30 minutes and will help to build a greater understanding of concussion across the country.

Dr Niall Elliott, said: “Our understanding of concussion continues to evolve. The latest guidance reflects the most recent advances in the area and is a significant landmark of the work being done in Scotland to raise awareness of the serious issue of concussion in sport.

“The safety and wellbeing of everyone who takes part in sport is paramount so we will continue to work with partners, in sport and beyond, to ensure that more and more people become confident in recognising and managing a concussion in sport.”

The Scottish Sports Concussion Guidance e-learning module is available for anyone to use and can be found here.