Another Twist in the Ongoing Saga of Sports-Related Concussion ‘Best Practices’

Recommended management of concussion in athletes of any level seem to change as frequently as sports seasons do. Here’s the latest: According to a statement published by the British Journal of Sports Medicine, while there is no benefit to absolute rest for concussed patients, reduction in physical activity for the first 2 days after the injury is advisable. After that, however, there’s no benefit to that, either. In fact, according to the authors, the latest evidence suggests that healthcare providers should encourage return to “light-intensity” physical activity such as walking in the initial 24 to 48 hours postinjury. The recommendations are similar for screen time, as “the best data on cognitive exertion show that reduced screen use in the first 48 hours after injury is warranted but may not be effective beyond that.” Regardless of how frequently specific recommendations change, a systematic approach to managing head injuries could be beneficial for urgent care operators. For a better sense of the steps you might need to take to do so, read Concussion Management in Urgent Care: A Primer for Implementation in the JUCM archive.