A clinic to raise awareness about managing concussion for impact sport players was held recently by Rugby Southland (RS) and The Headache Clinic (THC).

The event, which coincided with Brain Injury Awareness Week, provided sports players with the opportunity to have their medical and neurological baseline tested and recorded, serving as a reference point for future concussions and significantly reducing the risk of long-term damage.

THC founder Helen Tufui said as many as 35,000 concussions occur in New Zealand annually and players who are returning to sport before the brain has fully recovered from concussion injury can lead to persisting symptoms. 

“It takes the brain three to four weeks to recover from a concussion injury, and another injury before full recovery significantly increases the risk for persisting symptoms,” Tufui said. 

To address this issue, sporting bodies have mandated stand-downs following a concussion injury, which should lead to a decrease in the prevalence of neurodegenerative disease later in life for these athletes.

“The neck is often implicated in a concussion injury and has been found to be a key contributor to persisting concussion symptoms,” Tufui said.

A 2016 New Zealand study found almost half of concussion injuries had four or more persisting symptoms a year after their injury. As such, appropriate care was crucial for concussion recovery.

Tufui commented they wanted to acknowledge the importance of appropriate care for concussion and head injury.

Rugby Southland CEO Steve Michel said it was great to be working collaboratively with THC team.

“Rule number one for anyone involved in sport should be care and protection of the participant, and this initiative ensures we are looking after our people with the latest developments in concussion management, treatment and prevention,” Michel said.