Concussion Resources
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Heads Up: Hoja informativa para los deportistas y sus padres acerca de las conmociones cerebrales
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Guideline on the Diagnosis and Management of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Among Children. Web page with links to the 2018 concussion guideline, the first for children, as well as assessment tools, patient resources and more
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Caring for Your Child’s concussion. A 4-page handout that explains in simple terms what a concussion is, including its signs and symptoms, and recommends steps for returning to school and other activities after a concussion.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, How Can I Help My Child Recover After a Concussion. A 4-page handout that describes practical tips for helping a child recover from symptoms that affect physical abilities, thinking and remembering, social and emotional concerns, and sleep problems.
Concussion management video A 15-minute video on the importance of understanding concussions and guidelines for removal from play and return to play after a concussion. Stanley Herring, M.D., senior medical advisor at TSI, serves as host.
What Should I Know About Concussion? A one-page pamphlet summarizing the chances that your child will have a concussion, concussion symptoms, the potential long-term outcomes of a concussion, and a graduated return-to-play guide.
Concussion Recognition Tool 5 . A sideline tool to help parents, coaches and athletes recognize a concussion and know when a brain injury is an emergency.
Heads Up: Concussion resources for parents of school athletes. An extensive set of resources from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that include:
Heads Up: Built for tablets and smartphones, “Rocket Blades” is a visually appealing experience with fun gameplay that entertains kids 6-8 while teaching about concussions.
Heads Up: Facts about Concussion and Brain Injury. A 20-page brochure about concussion, its signs and symptoms, tips for healing and where to get help.
Heads Up: Your Child’s or Teen’s Helmet. Video and fact sheets for 11 sports and recreational activities, from cycling and snowboarding to hockey and football.
U.S. Soccer, Let’s Take Brain Injuries Out of Play. A one-page handout with concussion facts, including signs and symptoms and an explanation of the critical importance of reporting concussions.
U.S. Soccer Concussion Guidelines. Outlines rules implemented in 2016 that eliminate heading for children under age 10, limit heading to practice only for children 11 to 13, and allow players to be evaluated for concussion during games without penalty.
U.S. Soccer Recognize-to-Recover. Player health and safety program with information on concussion, heat illness and dehydration, sudden cardiac arrest and prevention of other injuries.
Exercise & Health Resources
Top 10 Things to Know About the Second Edition of the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. This consumer-friendly guide explains updated recommendations for children and adults to safely get the physical activity they need to stay healthy. (U.S. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 2018)
2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (Second Edition). This resource for health professionals and policy makers explains the benefits of physical activity, provides specific recommendations and offers guidance on how to help people incorporate physical activity into their regular routines. (U.S. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion)
2018 United States Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth. This is the third comprehensive assessment of physical activity in U.S. children, and a call to action to improve their physical activity levels and health. (National Physical Activity Plan)
How much physical activity do children need? Discover all the easy and enjoyable ways to help your child meet the recommendation of the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, April 2019)
Global recommendations on physical activity for health, 2010. This in-depth report provides background on the health significance of physical activity, recommended levels of physical activity for different age groups and more. (World Health Organization, 2010)
Exercise Is Medicine, the American College of Sports Medicine
- Healthcare Provider Summary Sheet, including recommendations for conducting a physical activity assessment and offering an exercise prescription
- Healthcare Providers’ Action Guide, including exercise guides for patients with diabetes and patients with heart failure
Exercise & Health References. These scientific papers explore some of the research that informed The Sport Institute’s article “Movement, Play and Sports: What Are the Benefits?”
Female Athlete Resources
Exercise and Pregnancy
Exercise during Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period. The 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans contains a section on exercise recommendations during and after pregnancy. These include: doing 2 hour and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, preferably spread throughout the week; and for women who regularly engaged in vigorous activity before pregnancy, continuing these activities during pregnancy and the postpartum period. (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services)
Blood Clot Risks and Prevention
Air Travel–Related Deep Vein Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism. One-page patient handout on factors that can increase the risk of blood clots during extended air travel, including sitting with bent knees for long periods without much activity. (Journal of the American Medical Association)
Ten Things People Should Know about Blood Clots. One-page handout on blood clots, including their symptoms, factors that increase the risk of having one, and blood thinners that can prevent and treat them. (American College of Sports Medicine)
Female Athlete Triad
Female Athlete Triad Coalition
- The Education Center for athletes provides resources to learn more about the amount of energy (food or calories) required to fuel your body’s needs, how the calories you consume affect your period and bone health, and tips for a healthy body.
- A two-page pamphlet for parents and coaches summarizes the female athlete triad, including how to recognize it and recommendations on treatment and prevention.
Food with Benefits. Two dietitian nutritionists explain how to gain a competitive edge with a “food-first” approach to fueling. (ACSM’s Health and Fitness Journal)
Fueling for Fitness. Food and fluid recommendations for before, during, and after exercise. (ACSM’s Health and Fitness Journal)
Female Athlete Issues for the Team Physician: A Consensus Statement—2017 Update. Written for team doctors, this summarizes the medical issues facing female athletes, including anterior cruciate ligament injuries, concussions, menstrual dysfunction, bone stress injuries, the female athlete triad and exercise before and during pregnancy.
2014 Female Athlete Triad Coalition Consensus Statement on Treatment and Return to Play of the Female Athlete Triad. Written for researchers and healthcare providers, this exhaustive document covers the research on the female athlete triad, including diagnosis and recommendations on treatment and return to play. (British Journal of Sports Medicine)
Injuries & Prevention Resources
General Injury Prevention
FIFA 11+ Kids. A video-guided set of 7 warmup exercises designed to be fun, prevent injuries and teach young players effective movement patterns for playing soccer. Exercises are progressively more complex based on athletes’ age and ability.
Female Athlete Issues for the Team Physician: A Consensus Statement-2017 Update. A paper reflecting the recommendations of doctors from the American College of Sports Medicine and other major medical societies on medical issues especially pertinent to female athletes, including ACL tears, patellofemoral (knee) pain, bone stress injuries and more.
Overuse Injuries and Early Specialization
Overuse Injury. This two-page handout from STOP Sports Injuries explains how overuse injuries occur, risk factors for developing them, and how they can be treated and prevented. (American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine)
The American Academy of Pediatrics provides information for parents on sports specialization and overuse injuries in young athletes, including:
- Preventing Overuse Injuries in Young Athletes
- Effects of Puberty on Sports Performance: What Parents Need to Know
- Too Much, Too Soon: Overtraining Can Lead to Injury & Burnout
- If a Child Wants to Quit
- Sports Specialization and Intensive Training in Young Athletes(AAP Clinical Report)
Youth basketball guidelines. These guidelines from the NBA and USA Basketball advise young athletes to postpone specialization in basketball until age 16 or later. They also provide recommendations on time to spend in organized practices and games each week, optimal hours of sleep per night, time off during the year and more.
Benefits of playing multiple sports. USA Baseball encourages players to participate in other sports, noting the additional opportunities to develop as an athlete and the risk of burnout and injury from early specialization.
Project Play parents’ checklists in English and Spanish for children ages 0-5 and 6-12. The checklist poses 10 questions parents should ask about sports programs for their children, and includes a scoring matrix for judging a program. (Aspen Institute)
Estimated probability of competing in college athletics. This table shows how many athletes compete in each sport played at the high school and NCAA levels, along with an estimate of the percentage of high school athletes going on to compete in the NCAA. (NCAA)
Ankle Sprains
Ankle Sprains in Youth. This one-page patient summary from JAMA Pediatrics provides a general overview explaining what an ankle sprain is, how to treat and rehabilitate one, and uncommon but serious situations when imaging may be helpful.
Ankle Sprain. This web page from the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society provides a high level of detail about the anatomy of the ankle, factors that increase the risk of an ankle sprain, and the diagnosis and graded rehabilitation of an ankle injury.
ACL Injury Prevention
FIFA 11+. A highly detailed 76-page booklet from the international soccer association FIFA describing the 15 exercises that comprise the FIFA 11+ program for prevention of injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament.
LaxPrep is a warm-up and exercise program for boys and girls that is designed to decrease an athlete’s risk of an ACL injury. The program emphasizes core strength, balance and proper landing techniques, including a dynamic warm-up for each of its three phases. (US Lacrosse)
PEP. A brief document summarizing PEP (Prevent injury and Enhance Performance), a five-part ACL injury prevention program designed for teams to use three times per week. (Santa Monica Sports Medicine Research Foundation)
Sudden Cardiac Arrest Resources
Sudden Cardiac Arrest (video). A seven-minute course to prepare youth coaches and league administrators for an acute sudden cardiac arrest emergency (planning, recognition, screening and four steps to survival). USA Football developed the course, but the information is relevant to basketball, baseball and other sports in which sudden cardiac arrest can occur. The video features University of Washington and Seattle Seahawks team physician Jonathan A. Drezner, M.D.
- Heart Attack or Sudden Cardiac Arrest: How Are They Different?
- AHA policy statement advocates for cardiac emergency response plans in K-12.
American Medical Society for Sports Medicine
National Athletic Trainers Association
- Matters of the heart. Sudden cardiac arrest infographic handout (pdf)
Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation
- About Sudden cardiac death
- Magazine: You Can Save a Life at School
- For schools and young athletes: Schools Campaign
UW Medicine Center for Sports Cardiology