Haverford’s certified athletic trainers work collaboratively with Haverford’s Health Services staff and the department’s sports medicine consultants to manage concussions according to the most recent recommendations and guidelines. All varsity athletes are baseline tested using Sway software and all involved parties work to stay abreast of the latest research concerning these types of injuries.
Concussion/Head Injury in Sports
Definition
Sport-related concussion is a traumatic brain injury caused by a direct blow to the head, neck or body resulting in an impulsive force being transmitted to the brain that occurs in sports and exercise-related activities. This initiates a neurotransmitter and metabolic cascade, with possible axonal injury, blood flow change and inflammation affecting the brain. Symptoms and signs may present immediately, or evolve over minutes or hours, and commonly resolve within days, but may be prolonged.
Baseline Testing – Sway
Sway software will be used by the Athletic Training staff to baseline test all athletes who participate on a varsity team as part of their clearance to participate. Sway testing will be used as appropriate by the athletic trainers to document return to play/ baseline status throughout the student athlete’s progression.
Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing
Athletic trainers will administer immediate field/sideline standardized assessment tool. This testing will be provided to the student athlete’s treating physician. Athletes will not be returned to play the same day of injury. Any positive neurological screening abnormality necessitates formal neurological or hospital assessment. If severe head trauma, athlete will be transported to BMHER or nearest hospital immediately.
Concussion Treatment
Any athlete who suffers a concussion will not be allowed to return to play on the same day. The student athlete will be withheld from participation in sports until they have been cleared by a physician. This clearance will not occur until the athlete has been asymptomatic for 24 hours and their neurological/cognitive function has returned to baseline levels. Physical activity while still symptomatic will be managed under the direction of the athlete’s treating physician. Once cleared, they will be released to the Athletic Training staff, which will progress them through a stepwise return to play progression. This progression will be as follows:
Step 1 – light aerobic exercise
Step 2 – sport specific training
Step 3 – non-contact drills
Step 4 – full contact practice
Step 5 – competition
Completion of each step without a reoccurrence of symptoms is required to move to the next step. If symptoms return during any of these steps, the athlete must cease activity and again meet the criteria of being asymptomatic for 24 hours prior to any activity.
Participation in other team activities may also be limited at the discretion of the treating physician, athletic training staff, Director of Athletics and Dean’s Office.
Student athletes needing academic modifications will work with their professors, their advising Dean and Haverford’s Office of Access & Disability Services (ADS) to ensure that they are supported and are meeting their academic requirements as they navigate the injury and recovery process.
First Year athletes with histories of multiple concussions may be asked to provide medical records with full neurological/psychological/neuroimaging to Health Services and/or the Athletic Trainers.
