Motivation
Concussions are one of the most common injuries in sports, yet they remain one of the most difficult to detect and assess. Unlike visible injuries, concussions affect the brain in ways that aren’t always immediately apparent. Athletes who continue playing despite symptoms risk further injury and long-term consequences.
Healthcare professionals, coaches, and athletic trainers on the sideline need to quickly and accurately assess athletes with suspected concussions. Having a standardized plan for concussion assessment is essential to protecting athletes’ long-term brain health.
Approach
The Sports Institute developed “The GamePlan: Sideline Assessment for Suspected Concussion,” a training film that demonstrates best practices for evaluating athletes with possible concussions. The film emphasizes preparation, vigilance, and systematic assessment using the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT), the most widely used and researched standardized tool available at no cost.
The film walks viewers through the complete process, from pre-game medical timeouts and emergency action planning to on-field primary assessment and transport decisions, to comprehensive sideline evaluation.
The training emphasizes a critical principle: If in doubt, sit them out. Athletes should remain under close observation and receive follow-up care from a healthcare provider before returning to play after a concussion.
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Where We Are
The Sports Institute has produced this high-quality training film to serve as an educational resource for athletic trainers, coaches, emergency medical professionals, and anyone responsible for athlete safety. The film demonstrates real-world application of validated assessment protocols and emphasizes the importance of preparation and practice.
View the video: The GamePlan: Sideline Assessment for Suspected Concussion
Copyright © 2022 The Sports Institute at UW Medicine and University of Washington. All rights reserved. This video is freely available for educational purposes. Commercial use or modification is prohibited without permission.
Partners
National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA), OL Reign and OL Reign Academy, Seattle Children’s Hospital, UW Medicine
Special thanks to Jessica Fishlock, OL Reign midfielder, and all the medical professionals, athletic trainers, and athletes who participated in creating this essential training resource.
Disclaimer
The purpose of this film is to provide recommendations for sideline assessment of suspected concussion by medical personnel. This film is intended only as a guide to all members of the sports medicine community, and, as such, is of a general nature, consistent with the reasonable, objective practice of the health care professional. It is not intended to be used as a standard of care. Ultimately, clinical decisions remain at the discretion of the responsible medical professionals and are dependent on the specific injury scenario and availability of qualified personnel and resources at the time of injury.