There are many ways to help try to prevent concussions:

• Promote sportsman-like conduct at all times
• Awareness of the serious nature of concussions
• Strict rules and guidelines requiring appropriate protective equipment
• Ensure all protective head gear is fitted correctly
• Prioritize concussion recovery over playing the game
• Recognize a concussed athlete at the time of the incident
• Enforcing rules related to concussion prevention
• Respecting referree's judgement
• Awareness of the appropriate care of a concussion including:
  • Monitoring recovery using a symptom checklist
  • Neurocognitive Testing
  • Balance Testing with the appropriate return to gameplay guidelines

Baseline Testing

Baseline testing is important in the management and identificaiton of a concussion, and is the current standard of care for athletes playing contact sports. This testing provides a base score of attention, reaction time, memory etc. Should an athlete suffer a concussion, they will be required to retake the test, allowing for a comparison to be made. Poor performance on this testing indicatings the athlete has not yet recovered from the injury.

Testing should occur under the supervision of a trained technician, and should take place in a quiet setting.