concussion

No contact with an opposing player's head or neck area will be allowed at any time in high school ice hockey, effective with the 2011-12 school year, under a rule approved by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Ice Hockey Rules Committee and the NFHS Board of Directors. Any contact of that kind could result in a stand-alone minor or major penalty, or even a disqualification.

A change in the definition of a chop block in high school football, along with a strong emphasis on proper use of the helmet to minimize risk of injury, highlighted the January 21-23 meeting of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Football Rules Committee in Indianapolis.

A new study of concussions suffered by high school athletes shows that loss of consciousness is uncommon, suggesting a greater understanding in the athletic community that loss of consciousness is not required for a concussion diagnosis.

A 2011 study confirms that football is still responsible for the majority of concussions at the high school level and that the symptoms of concussion clear in most cases within one week, but also shows for the first time the important role computerized neuropsychological testing is playing in concussion assessment and return to play decisions.  

Soccer has a higher injury rate than many contact/collision sports such as field hockey, rugby, basketball, and football, with players younger than age 15 at higher relative injury risk compared with older players, concludes a clinical report in the journal Pediatrics.

 

.

Traumatic brain injury takes such a toll on individuals and society that federal legislation to protect youth athletes from the devastating impact of sports-related concussion is needed, experts from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the National Football League (NFL) said at a Congressional briefing.

Recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) on the evaluation and treatment of sport-related concussions in children and adolescents based on the latest consensus of experts.

The National Federation of State High School Associations' (NFHS) free online concussion safety course  "Concussion in Sports - What You Need to Know" has been taken by over 1 million people since it was introduced in 2010.

The number of sport-related concussions is highest in high-school aged athletes, but the number among younger athletes is significant and on the rise, according to a first-of-its-kind study reported in the journal Pediatrics.  The number of concussions among athletes ages 7 to 13 in the top five team sports (football, basketball, baseball, soccer and ice hockey) doubled over a four year period, and the concussion rates among those playing ice hockey and football are eight- to ten-times higher than the overall  rate.

With spring sports beginning for over 40 million young athletes,  the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) has ten tips for parents, coaches, and administrators to help prevent injuries and ensure a safe and successful season.