To avoid risk of further injury, athletes with concussions should not be allowed to play until all the concussion-related indications are resolved and the brain has fully recovered. This is one of the key recommendations in a position statement issued by American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) on sports-related concussions, a professional organization with a membership of more than 2,100 nonsurgical sports medicine physicians.
There is rising concern about concussions at all levels of competition, from youth sports to professional leagues. The AMSSM statement provides an overview based on evidence and best practices to assist medical professionals with the evaluation and management of sports-related concussion.
It is noted that the concussion-related cases should be handled by trained medical professionals with sufficient knowledge in sport concussions and awareness about the strengths and weaknesses of tests used to evaluate the concussions.
About 3.8 million sports-related concussions take place in the U.S. each year and half of the cases go unreported. Risks are higher in certain sports and positions, for youth athletes and those with previous concussions. Early recognition of sport-related concussions is essential thereby a medical professional with appropriate training and experience can make necessary evaluations.
Among other things, the statement discusses evidence for different types of tests, including computerized neuropsychological tests, and assessments in athletes. It recommends the use of checklists for assessing concussion symptoms and tracking them over time.
To focus better on the evaluation and management of sports-related concussions and ensure proper documentation, sports medicine specialists can rely on an experienced medical transcription company. This will ensure accurate and timely sports medicine transcription service for hospital progress notes, chart notes, operative notes, narratives, and more at affordable cost.
