CONCUSSION

Concussion means ‘a form of traumatic brain injury induced by biomechanical forces that results in signs and symptoms that are typically resolved spontaneously within 1 to 4 weeks of injury. 1

In plain language, a concussion:

1. 1. Is a brain injury that causes changes in how the brain functions, leading to symptoms that can be physical (e.g. headache, dizziness), cognitive (e.g., difficulty concentrating or remembering), emotional/behavioural (e.g., depression, irritability) and/or related to sleep (e.g., drowsiness, poor quality of sleep);
   2. May be caused either by a direct blow to the head, face or neck, or a blow to the body that transmits a force to the head that causes the brain to move rapidly within the skull;
   3. Can occur even if there has been no loss of consciousness (in fact, most concussions occur without a loss of consciousness); and,
   4. Cannot normally be seen on x-rays, standard CT scans or MRIs.

Suspected Concussion 

Suspected Concussion means the recognition that an individual appears to have either experienced an injury or impact that may result in a concussion or is exhibiting unusual behaviour that may be the result of concussion.

Concussion Diagnosis means “a clinical diagnosis made by a medical doctor or nurse practitioner“.

LINKS TO ADDITIONAL CONCUSSION RESOURCES

• Parachute Canada page: https://parachute.ca/en/injury-topic/concussion/
• Concussion Awareness Training Tool (CATT): https://cattonline.com/
• Coaching Association of Canada (Making Head Way): https://www.coach.ca/making-head-way-concussion-elearning-series-p153487&language=en
• Sport Information Resource Centre: https://sirc.ca/concussion/
• Public Health Agency of Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/concussion-sign-symptoms/sport-recreation.html
• Rowan’s Law: Concussion Awareness Resources: https://www.ontario.ca/page/rowans-law-concussion-awareness-resources
• Concussion Ed App: https://parachute.ca/en/injury-topics/concussion-ed-app/  
• Subcommittee on Sports-Related Concussions in Canada: https://www.cpac.ca/en/?s=concussion&category=all&person=all&order=relevance&type=all#

1 McCrory P, Meeuwisse W, Dvorak J, et al. “Consensus statement on concussion in sport – the 5th international conference on concussion in sport held in Berlin, October 2016,” in Br J Sports Medicine 51(11), 838-847.