Prevalence of concussion and adherence to return-to-play guidelines amongst male secondary school rugby and hockey players.
St John Taft, Liezel Ennion
PMID 33604476WHAT IT FOUND
Nearly a third of male secondary school rugby and hockey players had sustained a concussion, but only 30.4% of those injured followed return-to-play guidelines.
Players cited peer pressure and fear of losing their spot on the team as reasons for returning too soon.
Key findings
01The past prevalence of concussion in the study sample was 31.4%.
02Only 30.4% of players who suffered a concussion followed a structured and graded return-to-play protocol.
03Qualitative interviews identified three main themes for non-adherence: peer pressure, intrinsic motivation, and ignorance despite awareness of risk.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study used self-reported data for concussion history, which may be inaccurate. The sample was limited to male players at a single school, so results may not generalize to other populations. The questionnaire was not a standardized tool like the Rosenbaum Concussion Knowledge and Attitude Survey.
Declared interests
No specific funding sources or conflicts of interest were declared in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that high awareness of concussion risks leads to safe behavior. The study shows that even though most players knew they needed medical clearance, less than a third followed the guidelines, often due to social pressure rather than ignorance.