NFHS Brochure: Suggested guidelines for the management of concussions in sports
National Athletic Trainers' Association: "Heads Up" Football Injuries Program
2010 Sports Medicine Advisory Committee (SMAC) concussion recommendations (PDF)
- An athlete who reports or displays any symptoms or signs of a concussion in a practice or game setting should be removed immediately from the practice or the game. The athlete should not be allowed to return to the practice or the game for the remainder of the day regardless of whether the athlete appears or states that he or she is now normal.
- The athlete should be evaluated by a licensed, qualified medical professional working within their scope of practice as soon as can be practically arranged.
- If an athlete has sustained a concussion, the athlete should be referred to a licensed physician, preferably one with experience in managing sports concussion injuries.
- The athlete who has been diagnosed with a concussion should be returned to play only after full recovery and clearance by a physician. Recovery from a concussion, regardless of loss of consciousness usually takes 7-14 days after resolution of all symptoms.
- Return to play after a concussion should be gradual and follow a progressive return to competition. An athlete should not return to a competitive game before demonstrating the he or she has no symptoms in a full supervised practice.
- Athletes should not continue to practice or return to play while still having symptoms of a concussion. Sustaining an impact to the head while recovering from a concussion may cause Second Impact Syndrome, a catastrophic neurological brain injury.
NFHS concussions update
Consensus statement on concussion sports (Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine)