The GAA, LGFA and Camogie Association, working in tandem with experts across the Medical, Scientific and Welfare Committee and the Gaelic Athletic Medical Association, are pleased to announce the rollout of an updated Concussion Guidance Document and accompanying poster for everyone involved at all levels of Gaelic games.
While concussion remains an outlier in terms of the most prevalent injuries sustained while playing Gaelic games, the three Associations have long prided themselves on being to the forefront of concussion awareness and education, since the GAA’s first statement on concussion in 2007.
The Association has been represented at the most recent International Conferences on Concussion in Sport in 2016 and 2022 and has published these updated guidelines based on the most recent international best practice.
This document is intended to be used as a master guideline for everyone involved in Gaelic games – players, parents, coaches, match officials and medics in understanding and managing suspected concussion at all levels. Within the document, the Associations reaffirm their position that if there are any signs or symptoms leading to a suspicion of a concussion for a player, at any level or at any age, the player should immediately be removed from play and not return to action the same day. The player should be medically assessed by an appropriately qualified medical person, monitored for injury-related signs and symptoms, and not return to full contact play without prior medical approval. RECOGNISE AND REMOVE is the key message.
The document sets out the GAA, LGFA and Camogie Association Guidelines in relation to Concussion Management and should be viewed as appropriate through the relevant prism, depending on whether the person is coming from a medical background or not. The document contains recommendations which are not protocols or a clinical standard of care.
Updated concussion resources can be accessed via the GAA’s Concussion Education landing page here – https://learning.gaa.ie/concussion
On a related note, a reminder that the GAA have teamed up with the Global Brain Health Institute to run an educational webinar entitled “Brain Health and Sport – Reducing Risk and Maximising Benefit”. This free webinar is open to all and will focus on the importance of protecting our brains throughout the life course, as well as the positive role sport can play in this, and the potential risks associated with head injuries. The event takes place online on Thursday, December 12th at 6.00pm and you can register here –https://www.gbhi.org/events/brain-health-and-sport-reducing-risk-and-maximizing-benefit
