Motivation
Preparedness by medical and school personnel is vital for protecting youth athletes so they can safely participate in the sports they love. Knowledge and proper implementation of Return to Play protocols for suspected concussions, as well as best practices, is key for treating athletes with this injury. Understanding by coaches, parents, athletic directors and medical professionals of injury prevention and treatment best practices will help ensure the long-term health of youth athletes.
Approach
Utilizing our existing resources and partnering with the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA), we aim to create awareness of required Return to Play protocols for suspected concussions for Washington state schools and athletes as well as injury prevention tips and recommendations. This comprehensive approach will further the safety of anyone engaging in sports.
Where We Are
We worked with the WIAA to help pass the “Kenney Bui Rule” in Washington state, requiring both school athletic directors and medical authorities approved by the WIAA to use their Return to Practice and Competition for Athletes with a Suspected Concussion form in letting athletes with concussion symptoms resume play.
Additionally, many pieces in our Learning Center cover a variety of injury prevention and treatment topics and we’ve begun pre-production on a film to define and amplify best practices for licensed health care providers (LHPs) for sideline evaluation and initial management of a suspected concussion.