Infographic. The first position statement of the Concussion in Para Sport Group

Br J Sports Med, 2022 · DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2021-104530 · Published: April 1, 2022

Simple Explanation

Concussions are common in sports, including para sports, but clinicians face challenges applying standard concussion guidelines to para athletes due to a lack of specific research. The Concussion in Para Sport (CIPS) group was formed to address this issue and improve concussion management for para athletes. The CIPS group analyzed issues specific to para athletes within the key clinical domains of the 2017 Consensus Statement on Concussion in Sport. They evaluated the Sports Concussion Assessment Tool 5 (SCAT5) to identify concerns specific to para athletes. The CIPS group tasked four working groups with exploring key clinical areas of concussion in para sport, including concussion assessment, concussion management, return-to-sport protocols, and considerations related to different impairments in para athletes.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

Para athletes

Evidence Level

Position statement

Key Findings

1
Regular preparticipation and periodic health examinations are essential for para athletes to establish a baseline reference point for concussion symptoms, though interpretation poses challenges.
2
Concussion management in para athletes should align with existing consensus guidelines, utilizing CIPS assessment tools, while acknowledging the limitations of SCAT5 due to variability among disability groups.
3
Case-by-case decision-making is crucial for return-to-sport (RTS) protocols following a concussion in para athletes, given the limitations of the 2017 CIS consensus statement.

Research Summary

This infographic summarizes the first position statement from the Concussion in Para Sport (CIPS) group, addressing the need for specific guidelines for managing concussions in para athletes. The position statement highlights the challenges in applying standard concussion assessment tools like SCAT5 to para athletes and emphasizes the importance of understanding an athlete's pre-injury cognitive and physical function. Future research should focus on developing a better understanding of concussion knowledge gaps, attitudes towards concussion, and the use of common assessment tools in the para-athlete population.

Practical Implications

Clinical Practice

Clinicians should prioritize comprehensive pre-injury assessments and individualized management plans for para-athletes with suspected concussions.

Research

Further research is needed to validate concussion assessment tools and develop specific guidelines tailored for para-athletes.

Policy

Sport organizations should implement concussion prevention strategies and sport-specific rule changes to reduce the occurrence of concussions in para-athletes.

Study Limitations

1
Lack of validity of SCAT5 in general populations.
2
Variability of baseline scores between different disability groups.
3
Limitations of the 2017 CIS consensus statement when considering RTS of the para athlete.

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