Mandatory education needed to reduce concussions, experts say

Los Angeles – Coaches, athletic directors, parents and teens who participate in sports should be required to receive education on concussions to help prevent and reduce the number of brain injuries among teen athletes, according to attendees of American Headache Society’s annual meeting.

More than 500 researchers and treatment specialists responded to an electronic poll taken onsite during the meeting on June 23. About 70 percent of those polled were in favor of mandatory education.

“Mandatory concussion education for coaches, athletic directors and trainers is an essential first step in meeting the urgent need to prevent, recognize and manage teen concussions,” AHS President Elizabeth Loder said in an AHS press release.

Many teen sport-related head injuries occur on football and soccer fields, and the injuries go unrecognized by coaches and the teens themselves, who often return to play too soon after a blow to the head, according to the release.