Athletes in Colorado might be interested to learn about some recent updates that were made to the American Academy of Neurology’s sports concussion evaluation and management guidelines. The guide was originally published in 1997, and it was recently revised to include several new and updated recommendations for monitoring and treating sports concussions.
One of the most important changes that the AAN made to their guidelines is the way that athletes should be treated after sustaining a concussion during a game. Recommendations about returning to play were completely removed from the guide. Instead, the AAN recommends that athletes be completely removed from play. Athletes are advised to return to play only after a health care professional has evaluated them.
The updated AAN guide recommends that young athletes be monitored more closely than adults after sustaining a concussion, as they can take longer to recover. The guide also explained that the time period when an athlete is most at risk for suffering from a second concussion is during the first 10 days after the initial concussion. Athletes who play football and rugby were found to be most at risk for a concussion, and the use of a helmet in football has been shown to prevent concussions.
Some concussions can cause serious brain damage in the victim that can affect them for the rest of their life. A person who has suffered from a traumatic brain injury while playing sports may want to speak to an attorney. After investigating the causes of the injury, an attorney may help the victim and their family to pursue an award for damages from all of the liable parties.