A study of rates and mechanisms of head contact and suspected concussions in youth basketball found a lack of fouls called for head contacts during the game, despite contact to the head being illegal in basketball.

A recent study in The Journal of Pediatrics found that recreation-related concussions (RRC)––such as those from recess, gym class, and play––and non-sport or recreation-related concussions (non-SRRC)––from events like motor vehicle crashes, falls, and assault––are more common among patients 5 through 12 years old than sports-related concussions (SRC) from organized sports.

A recent study presented at the Radiological Society of North America found a significant decline in the microscopic structural integrity of brain tissue and a decline in verbal learning performance for young adult amateur soccer players who performed a high number of headers over two years.

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.

A recent study in the Journal of Athletic Training explored the role of mental health in predicting lower extremity musculoskeletal injuries (LE MSK) after sports-related concussions in NCAA student-athletes. Previous research has found that the rate of LE MSK is elevated post-concussion, although the cause of this increased rate is unknown. In addition, poorer mental health is common post-concussion.

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 wrongful death suit filed against the NCAA by the widow of former USC linebacker Mathew Gee.

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.

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 school-based concussion education in a scoping review, "including a lack of clear guidelines for concussion education content, questionable sustainability of the education delivery and the need for long-term evaluation of 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).

In the last two weeks, the Concussion in Sport Group (CISG) has become engulfed in a scandal that has ramifications for concussion management across the globe. Dr. Paul McCrory, “chair of the Concussion in Sport Group (CISG) and lead author of four of the five Consensus Statements on Concussion in Sport,” resigned on March 5 following revelations of multiple instances of plagiarism.

A study found associations between certain personality traits and the time until return to play after a concussion. Experience seeking and impulsivity are personality traits that indicate a shorter return to play after a concussion. In contrast, conscientiousness is a personality trait that investigators associated with a more extended return to play delay.

A study by Carolyn A. Emery et al. published in British Journal of Sports Medicine found that injury rates were 61% lower and concussion rates 51% lower in non-elite adolescent hockey leagues that did not permit body-checking than leagues that did.

A preliminary study suggests that younger soccer players encounter more total head impacts during “repetitive technical training activities,” while scrimmages and games resulted in fewer head impacts of “greater magnitude.”

In an effort to improve current unmet medical needs for athletes, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a non-invasive hypothermic therapy device intended to decrease the severity of concussion symptoms and help patients get back to their pre-injury baseline.