Sport concussion assessment tool-Third edition normative reference values for professional Rugby Union players

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Neurology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Concussion assessment in athletes is critical for safe return-to-play protocols.
• Establishing normative data specific to elite sports populations is essential for accurate diagnosis.
• The Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 3rd version (SCAT3) is widely used but requires population-specific reference values.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish normative reference data for the SCAT3 in professional Rugby Union players.
• To describe the distribution of SCAT3 subcomponent scores in this population.
• To explore associations between player characteristics and SCAT3 performance.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 3611 professional Rugby Union players from national and international competitions (2015-2016).
• The SCAT3 was administered pre-season or prior to tournaments, with data collected electronically.
• Normative ranges were determined using percentile cut-offs, and exploratory analyses examined player characteristics' impact on SCAT3 performance.

Main Results:

• Fatigue was the most common symptom (14%). Median scores for symptoms, symptom severity, SAC, MBESS, and Tandem gait were reported.
• Upper limb coordination was normal in 98.4% of players.
• Younger age and lower educational level were associated with poorer performance on delayed recall and reverse month tests (p<0.0001); no gender differences were found.

Conclusions:

• Representative normative reference values for the SCAT3 in professional Rugby Union players have been established.
• Baseline performance on concentration and delayed recall tests may be lower in younger athletes or those with lower educational attainment.
• These findings aid in the accurate interpretation of SCAT3 results within this specific athletic cohort.