Sport-relatedconcussionisacommonneurologicalinjurythatoccursinalllevelsofathleticparticipation.Concussionsmayactuallygoundiagnosed,astheydonotalwaysdisplayoutwardsignsandathletesmayfailtoreportsymptomsofconcussion,eitherbecausetheydonotknowthesymptoms,orforfearofremovalfromplay.Inappropriatemanagementofconcussioncanleadtoincreasedriskofsubsequentinjury.Thisarticleoutlinesvariousaspectsofsport-relatedconcussionmanagement,includingpreparation/planning,education,evaluation,management,returntoplaydecisions,andlongtermeffectsofconcussion.Preparationandeducationarethefirststepsthatmustbetakentominimizethepotentiallynegativeconsequencesofconcussion.Ifaconcussionissuspected,itmustbestressedthattheevaluationshouldincludeamultifacetedapproach,withaphysicalexaminationandassessmentofsignsandsymptoms,neurocognitionandbalance.Themanagementofconcussionshouldincludebothphysicalandcognitiverestandfactorssuchastransportation,sleep,work,andacademicsshouldbetakenintoconsideration.Returntoplayfollowingconcussionshouldfollowagraduatedreturntoplayprotocol,withcarefulmonitoringofsymptoms.Sportsmedicinecliniciansshouldstayuptodatewithinformationregardingconcussionmanagementandtakeaconservativeapproach,becausetherearerecentreportsofvariouscumulativeeffectsofmultipleconcussions.
