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Published on: April 27, 2021
Concussion Management Practice Patterns Among Sports Medicine Physicians
Stephen Stache1, David Howell, William P Meehan
1*The Rothman Institute Orthopaedics, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; †Department of Family and Community Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; ‡Division of Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopedics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; §Sports Concussion Clinic, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; ¶The Micheli Center for Sports Injury Prevention, Waltham, Massachusetts; ‖Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; and Departments of **Pediatrics; and ††Orthopedics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
Sports medicine physicians widely adopt concussion management guidelines and utilize medications and neuropsychological testing. Most physicians follow established return-to-play protocols for athletes recovering from sports-related concussions.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Neurology
- Public Health
Background:
- Sport-related concussions pose significant challenges in athlete management.
- Standardized guidelines are crucial for effective concussion care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate current concussion management practices among sports medicine physicians in the USA.
- To assess adherence to guidelines, medication use, and return-to-play strategies.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study utilizing a web-based survey.
- Survey distributed to members of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM).
- Assessed use of guidelines, medications, balance tests, neuropsychological tests, and return-to-play protocols.
Main Results:
- 97% of respondents base concussion management on published criteria, with 91.9% following the Fourth International Conference on Concussion in Sport guidelines.
- 76% use medication beyond 48 hours post-injury; acetaminophen is most common, alongside other medications and supplements.
- 87.1% use neuropsychological testing, and 88.6% require athletes to be symptom-free with a completed protocol before returning to play.
Conclusions:
- Sports medicine physicians largely adhere to current concussion management guidelines.
- Medications and neuropsychological testing are frequently incorporated into concussion management.
- Established return-to-play protocols are predominantly followed, indicating physician expertise.
