'Mild Traumatic Brain Injury' and 'Sport-related Concussion': Different languages and mixed messages?

The last 20 years has seen the emergence of a sub-category of the mild traumatic brain injury literature termed 'sport-related concussion'. Some important differences now exist between this sub-category and the wider findings in the field and these could be detrimental to patients with persisting post-concussion symptoms (PCS). Sport-related studies often emphasize the cerebral risks associated with concussive injuries whilst the broader literature typically focuses on the relatively benign organic implications and the role of psychological factors in persisting symptoms. Clinically, anxiety caused by these mixed messages could lead to an exacerbation of PCS. This paper summarizes the commonalities and differences between the literatures and addresses the key clinical implications.