A retrospective cohort study by Jacob Jo et al. revealed that sport-related concussions occurring during the early third of the season exhibited a quicker resolution of symptoms than those occurring in the later third of the season, although this finding did not remain statistically significant in a multivariate analysis.

The Q-collar is commonly referred to as a concussion-prevention method, although the company says the Q-collar helps “protect the brain” of contact athletes over a season of play. However, limitations include not being “demonstrated to prevent long-term cognitive function deficits,” no evaluation of clinical outcome impacts, and the data not “demonstrating that the device can prevent concussion or serious brain injury.”

Is the Q-Collar effective at concussion prevention, and is it safe? The FDA summary states that the Q-Collar was not approved to prevent concussions and there are some risks to the device.

A study found that female high school athletes who were highly specialized in their athletic pursuits were five times more likely to have a history of concussion compared to female high school athletes who were less specialized in their athletic pursuits.

Ian K. Chun found that turf fields result in impact deceleration “as much as 23 g higher on artificial grass compared to natural surfaces.” The higher g forces may translate “to a theoretical increased risk of concussion due to contact with playing surfaces,” according to Chun.

Cycling is the sport responsible for the highest number of concussion-related visits to emergency departments in the U.S. Unfortunately, there is not a lot of follow-through in terms of education about the injury and treatment options for cyclists. British 31-year-old professional cyclist Lizzy Banks can attest to the hardship of recovering from concussions in the biking community.

A revelatory article from Melissa Davey, Stephanie Convery, and Emma Kemp of The Guardian claims that the AFL (Australian Football League) sabotaged its own concussion research.

The use of helmets in women’s lacrosse continues to be a topic of significant debate, as helmets are not mandatory in women’s lacrosse but are required in men’s lacrosse. A 2015 study found that women’s lacrosse had the second-highest rate of concussions among a variety of high school and college sports.

A study evaluated the duration of continued participation after a suspected sport-related concussion (SRC) and its impact on recovery outcomes in collegiate athletes. The researchers found that continued participation (within a range of 0-90 minutes) after SRC was associated with worse outcomes.

A study found significant gaps in a high proportion of PA schools with regard to both state mandates and current best practices, though protocols were much higher quality in schools with a full-time athletic trainer (AT).

Sarah Gallagher, PT, DPT, NCS is the owner of South Valley Physical Therapy and is a member of the Vestibular Disorders Association, American Physical Therapy Association and Academy of Neurology. In her interview, she explains her center's operations and its role in telehealth.

An article published in Sports Health: A Multidisciplinary Approach demonstrates that giving athletes the skills necessary to report a concussion could be a useful way to address the issue of under-reported concussions.