Implementation of concussion guidelines in community Australian Football and Rugby League—The experiences and challenges faced by coaches and sports trainers

Kemp, Joanne L; Newton, Jennifer Margaret; White, Priscilla; Finch, Caroline F.

doi:10.1016/j.jsams.2015.03.010

Cited by 13 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…[1][2][3][4] These guidelines include appropriate steps to follow should someone sustain a suspected concussion and have been adapted for many types of community sports, including Australian Football (AF). 3 4 Stakeholder understanding and implementation of these guidelines are key to achieving the intended outcomes of appropriate injury recognition and management, and ultimately improved safety following concussion.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Concussion guideline implementation perceptions and experiences among parents of community-level Australian Football junior players

White

Donaldson

et al. 2017

BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med

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Background/aimConcussion guidelines exist for multiple community sports. Parents are key stakeholders in guideline implementation and in appropriate responses following concussive injury. The purpose of this qualitative investigation was to understand how parents of community-level Australian Football (AF) players experience and perceive concussion guidelines in order to inform the design and implementation of concussion guidelines in community sport.MethodsA cross-sectional qualitative approach was adopted to allow for an open and detailed exploration of the views of parents of junior community AF players (ie, those aged <16 years) regarding concussion guidelines of the AF League (AFL)—the national governing body for AF. Participants were 15 parents of junior community AF players from two clubs affiliated with a large regional community AF League.ResultsThe key experiences and perceptions of the parents included appreciation that the guidelines outlined the postconcussion process that should be followed, desires for better understanding of the guidelines by general practitioners (ie, medical doctors) who care for children with concussion, having more readily available information for parents and receiving more formal policy guiding timing of return-to-participation following concussion. Difficulties with the guidelines not addressing delayed presentations of concussion were also frequently mentioned.ConclusionsParents are key stakeholders in concussion prevention and care in community sport. As such, their input should be considered when developing guidelines and resources for community sport. Furthermore, concussion information should be made available to parents in an easily accessible and community-friendly form.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Concussion guideline implementation perceptions and experiences among parents of community-level Australian Football junior players

White

Donaldson

et al. 2017

BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med

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“… 6 In a secondary analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial, concussion rates in community football were 4.9 per 1000 game-hours. 36 An analysis of hospital admissions data over a 9-year period prior to mid-2011 reported a relatively stable rate of concussion-related admissions from Australian football, with a mean 80.3 cases per 100,000 participants aged 15+ years. 23 In a survey of injured female players, concussion was ranked as the most commonly reported worst injury by 33% of survey respondents.…”

Section: Concussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These guidelines work well for the professional form of the game but, as has been reportedly the case for many other sports, compliance with concussion guidelines is hard to achieve in the community forms of the sport, and there are many challenges to overcome to ensure they are consistently implemented. 15 , 36 , 68 , 69 …”

Section: Concussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Injuries in Australian Rules Football: An Overview of Injury Rates, Patterns, and Mechanisms Across All Levels of Play

Saw

Finch

Samra

et al. 2017

Sports Health: A Multidisciplinary Approach

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Context:The nature of Australian rules football (Australian football) predisposes both unique and common injuries compared with those sustained in other football codes. The game involves a combination of tackling, kicking, high-speed running (more than other football codes), and jumping. Two decades of injury surveillance has identified common injuries at the professional level (Australian Football League [AFL]).Objective:To provide an overview of injuries in Australian rules football, including injury rates, patterns, and mechanisms across all levels of play.Study Design:A narrative review of AFL injuries, football injury epidemiology, and biomechanical and physiological attributes of relevant injuries.Results:The overall injury incidence in the 2015 season was 41.7 injuries per club per season, with a prevalence of 156.2 missed games per club per season. Lower limb injuries are most prevalent, with hamstring strains accounting for 19.1 missed games per club per season. Hamstring strains relate to the volume of high-speed running required in addition to at times having to collect the ball while running in a position of hip flexion and knee extension. Anterior cruciate ligament injuries are also prevalent and can result from contact and noncontact incidents. In the upper limb, shoulder sprains and dislocations account for 11.5 missed games per club per season and largely resulted from tackling and contact. Concussion is less common in AFL than other tackling sports but remains an important injury, which has notably become more prevalent in recent years, theorized to be due to a more conservative approach to management. Although there are less injury surveillance data for non-AFL players (women, community-level, children), many of these injuries appear to also be common across all levels of play.Clinical Relevance:An understanding of injury profiles and mechanisms in Australian football is crucial in identifying methods to reduce injury risk and prepare players for the demands of the game.

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“… 16 Various factors have also been identified as being most likely to influence their intention to use the concussion guidelines 17 and their attempts at implementing them. 18 While it is reasonable to recognise the predominant and critical role of clubs, coaches and support staff in ensuring the appropriate management of concussion in community-AF, 19 there are other end-users who must contribute to the smooth conduct of this process. Players are one such group.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Australian Football League concussion guidelines: what do community players think?

White

Donaldson

Sullivan

et al. 2016

BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med

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BackgroundPreventing concussion in sport is a global challenge. To assess community-level adult male Australian Football players’ views on following the Australian Football League's (AFL) concussion guidelines.Methods3 focus groups, each comprising 6 players from 1 regional league, were conducted until saturation of issues raised. Discussions followed a semistructured script and were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was conducted by 2 coders independently.ResultsIdentified advantages of the guidelines included highlighting the seriousness of concussion; changing the culture around playing with concussion and shifting return-to-play decision responsibility from players to others. Disadvantages included players being removed from play unnecessarily; removal of players’ rights to decide if they are fit to play and players changing their behaviours to avoid being removed from play. Identified facilitators to guideline use included local league enforcement; broad information dissemination and impartial medically trained staff to assess concussion. Identified barriers to guideline use included players’ desire to play at all costs; external pressure that encouraged players to return to play prematurely; and inconvenience and cost.ConclusionsPlayers generally understand that the AFL concussion guidelines protect their long-term welfare. However, their desire to play at all costs and help their team win is a common barrier to reporting concussion and adhering to guidelines. Leagues should take a lead role by mandating and enforcing the use of the guidelines and educating coaches, game day medical providers and players. The return-to-play component of the guidelines is complex and needs further consideration in the context of community sport.

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Implementation of concussion guidelines in community Australian Football and Rugby League—The experiences and challenges faced by coaches and sports trainers

Cited by 13 publications

References 29 publications

Concussion guideline implementation perceptions and experiences among parents of community-level Australian Football junior players

Concussion guideline implementation perceptions and experiences among parents of community-level Australian Football junior players

Injuries in Australian Rules Football: An Overview of Injury Rates, Patterns, and Mechanisms Across All Levels of Play

Australian Football League concussion guidelines: what do community players think?

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