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Preparticipation assessment for head injury
1Centre for Health, Exercise, and Sports Medicine and The Brain Research Institute, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Summary
Currently, there are no evidence-based guidelines for pre-participation screening for head injuries in athletes. Expert consensus recommends baseline neuropsychological testing to guide return to play decisions after concussions.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Neurology
- Public Health
Background:
- Pre-participation examinations are common practice for athletes.
- There is a lack of evidence-based guidelines for head injury screening.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the existing evidence for pre-participation screening recommendations for head injuries.
- To identify best practices for baseline assessment of head injury in athletes.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive literature search including Medline, Google, and Sport Discus databases.
- Hand searches of relevant journals and reference lists.
- Consultations with sports medicine experts and global sporting organizations.
Main Results:
- No evidence-based guidelines currently exist for the minimum requirements of baseline head injury assessment.
- Pre-participation examinations are widely conducted but lack standardized, evidence-based protocols for head injury.
Conclusions:
- Expert consensus suggests baseline neuropsychological testing, ideally computerized, is crucial for managing concussive injuries.
- Documented baseline and end-of-career assessments have significant medicolegal implications for athletes.