Sports participation is the second most common cause of head injury, behind motor vehicle accidents, among 15 to 24 year olds. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has become a major public health concern and it is the responsibility of the medical community to protect the athlete from suffering permanent brain damage. With that goal in mind, William J. Mullally, MD, Clinical Director of the Sports Neurology Program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, has established a grading system with return to play guidelines to assist sports medicine practitioners in identifying the severity of a head injury and providing a uniform and logical timetable for a safe return to sports participation.
When there is any indication that an athlete has suffered a head injury, the athlete should immediately undergo a medical evaluation and if there is a suspicion of a TBI or concussion then the athlete cannot return to play on the same day.
Dr. Mullally also recommends that all young adults undergo neurocognitive testing before participating in sports to establish a baseline level of brain function in terms of memory, attention, problem solving and other measures. Comparison of pre- and post-injury neurocognitive tests can provide some of the information that’s needed to determine when it's safe to resume play.
Learn more about the Sports Neurology Program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital:
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Read the Grading Sports-related Head Injuries and Return to Play Guidelines video transcript:
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