Manhattan Soccer Club Concussion Policy
In 2013 Manhattan Soccer Club formed a task force to address the growing concern about concussions in youth sports. The task force consisted of board members, coaches, parents, and physicians. The group assessed available literature, discussed prevention measures and integrated mandates from regional and national soccer organizations. We want to update you on our policies. We acknowledge that this area at the intersection of youth sports and medicine continues to evolve and we are committed to staying at the forefront.
Background:
- A concussion is a brain injury that frequently involves physical as well as cognitive symptoms. The most common causes of concussion in soccer are head-to-head impact or the head colliding with elbow, feet, ground, or goal posts.
- Concussions are diagnosed by a constellation of symptoms that include one or more of the following: dizziness, headaches, nausea, loss of balance, memory problems, double vision, irritability, and depression. Loss of consciousness (passing out) is present in only 7% of diagnosed concussions based on current definitions.
- Prevention and proper management of the injury when it occurs are important in avoiding long-term complications. Most concussions last 7 to 10 days, but they can last weeks to months. Premature return to play following a concussion places players at higher risk for a second concussion and can lead to potentially serious or even life-threatening consequences.
- A concussion can't be reliably seen in a CT scan, MRI, X-ray, or other images that a hospital may use, so observation of the player is critical in recognizing a concussion. Parents, players, and coaches should all be familiar with the symptoms of a concussion and the "4Rs" of concussion treatment (below).
MSC's policy about concussions:
MSC follows these "4Rs" of concussion treatment:
1. Recognize the symptoms
Parents and players should learn to recognize the symptoms by reading this document (inglés y español)
MSC coaches are required to complete this course on concussions as a condition of employment.
2. Report to coaches
Players or parents who suspect a child may have sustained a concussion anywhere (playing soccer or otherwise) must tell their coach immediately if possible.
3. Remove from play
Players with even a slight concussion are at high risk for a repeat concussion, for which the dangers are extremely serious. MSC coaches are instructed to remove a player from play if they suspect the player may have sustained a concussion.
4. Recovery before returning to play
As required by NY State law, MSC prohibits players from returning to soccer until he or she is symptom-free and has received written permission from an accredited physician to play sports.
Unfortunately, MSC cannot be involved in your child’s medical care, so treatment and permission to play must be managed by your child’s physician.
