Context

Concussion is a major problem in both amateur and elite sport. A number of best practices regarding the diagnosis and treatment of symptoms associated with concussion are known and have been published in scientific papers. However, most of these assessments are based on subjective criteria, making it impossible to define universal criteria for a safe return to play.

Several technologies offer objective but partial solutions. Most of them quantify different aspects that will enable a “return to normal life”, but few are adapted to the demands and dangers of a return to sport. A premature return to play represents a real risk of injury for athletes, particularly to the lower body, as recent studies have shown.

The emergence of new solutions enabling healthcare professionals to stimulate, test, measure and/or support athletes’ progress opens up new opportunities for standardising protocols. However, further studies are needed to define which markers and actions are effective in guaranteeing a rapid, easily applicable, objective and safe return to play.

Challenge

Based on these observations, the main questions of the Challenge are:

  • How can we support medical professionals in better assessing the right time for players, who have suffered concussion, to return to their sport?
  • Which solutions would enable us to stimulate, test, measure and support athletes’ progress in order to prevent a premature return to play?

Finally, can we define a protocol that is easy to use and define a methodology that will enable:

    • medical professionals to test and monitor athletes during the various phases of concussion progression and obtain objective data to complement the tests already carried out today;
    • to host research projects aimed at deducing new best practices and test protocols for return to play following concussion; and
    • athletes’ reliable return to sport.

Theme Leader 

SpArk in close cooperation with Bearmind and the Valais concussion treatment centre.