The bottom line
Concussion is an increasingly diagnosed injury that has short-term consequences and can have long-term complications. The current literature supports individualized treatment of patients with concussion, and it supports the idea that no athlete should be returned to play the same day or while symptomatic.
Reference:
– American Medical Society for Sports Medicine position statement: concussion in sport, Br. J. Sports Med. 2013;47:15-26.
Dr. Skolnik is an associate director of the family medicine residency program at Abington (Pa.) Memorial Hospital. Dr. Chrusch is an assistant director in the family medicine residency program at the hospital.