Concussions are the mildest and most common form of traumatic brain injury, frequently occurring as a result of sport or recreational activity. Research suggests that individuals with sport-related concussions show different clinical deficits and recover along different trajectories than individuals concussed through other mechanisms, such as motor vehicle crashes and falls. The need for accurate, clinically feasible, and developmentally appropriate assessment and management tools for sport-related concussion are critical to ensure appropriate medical management, facilitate recovery, and minimize risk of secondary injury. However, as the available resources for and physical and cognitive development of athletes varies greatly between youth and professional leagues, the optimal tools for sport-related concussion assessment and management will differ based on the athlete’s age and skill level.
Despite the emergence of primary prevention programs such as rule changes, neuromuscular training programs, and behavioral interventions to reduce the prevalence of sports related concussion, it is unlikely that concussions will ever be fully eradicated from sport and recreational activities. Furthermore, much of the prior work on sport-related concussion has focused on developing diagnostic and return-to-play assessments in college athlete populations. While this work has had immeasurable positive impact on the clinical management of concussion, there is a continued need to develop diagnostic, prognostic, rehabilitation, and prevention tools for sport-related concussion and research is particularly needed in understudied athletic populations, such as youth sports, weekend warriors, and professional athletes. Such work is critical to safely removing an athlete from play once a concussion has occurred, providing individualized treatments to enhance both short- and long-term recovery, returning athletes to sport, school, and other activities safely, and preserving quality of life as athletes age. Therefore, the goal of this Research Topic is to capture research focused on the assessment and clinical management of sports-related concussion, from diagnostic tools to secondary prevention strategies.
Articles will be focused on the clinical management of sport-related concussions in athletic populations from youth to professional sports, utilizing tools and methodologies that have direct clinical translation or high potential for clinical translation in the near future. Specific sub-themes of interest include:
• Biomarkers for Concussion Diagnosis and/or Prognosis
• Post-Injury Assessments and Deficits
• Rehabilitation and Management Approaches
• Return to School and Sport
• Preventing Future Injury (e.g. recurrent concussion, musculoskeletal injury, etc.)
• Long-Term Sequela of Concussion
Concussions are the mildest and most common form of traumatic brain injury, frequently occurring as a result of sport or recreational activity. Research suggests that individuals with sport-related concussions show different clinical deficits and recover along different trajectories than individuals concussed through other mechanisms, such as motor vehicle crashes and falls. The need for accurate, clinically feasible, and developmentally appropriate assessment and management tools for sport-related concussion are critical to ensure appropriate medical management, facilitate recovery, and minimize risk of secondary injury. However, as the available resources for and physical and cognitive development of athletes varies greatly between youth and professional leagues, the optimal tools for sport-related concussion assessment and management will differ based on the athlete’s age and skill level.
Despite the emergence of primary prevention programs such as rule changes, neuromuscular training programs, and behavioral interventions to reduce the prevalence of sports related concussion, it is unlikely that concussions will ever be fully eradicated from sport and recreational activities. Furthermore, much of the prior work on sport-related concussion has focused on developing diagnostic and return-to-play assessments in college athlete populations. While this work has had immeasurable positive impact on the clinical management of concussion, there is a continued need to develop diagnostic, prognostic, rehabilitation, and prevention tools for sport-related concussion and research is particularly needed in understudied athletic populations, such as youth sports, weekend warriors, and professional athletes. Such work is critical to safely removing an athlete from play once a concussion has occurred, providing individualized treatments to enhance both short- and long-term recovery, returning athletes to sport, school, and other activities safely, and preserving quality of life as athletes age. Therefore, the goal of this Research Topic is to capture research focused on the assessment and clinical management of sports-related concussion, from diagnostic tools to secondary prevention strategies.
Articles will be focused on the clinical management of sport-related concussions in athletic populations from youth to professional sports, utilizing tools and methodologies that have direct clinical translation or high potential for clinical translation in the near future. Specific sub-themes of interest include:
• Biomarkers for Concussion Diagnosis and/or Prognosis
• Post-Injury Assessments and Deficits
• Rehabilitation and Management Approaches
• Return to School and Sport
• Preventing Future Injury (e.g. recurrent concussion, musculoskeletal injury, etc.)
• Long-Term Sequela of Concussion