Concussion

Concussion is common in AFL, NRL and rugby union. The majority of professional football players who show a degree of concussion do not miss a single match and many will return to play in the same game as they were concussed.

The reason a professional footballer may be allowed to return to play is that they have been fully assessed by a doctor and cleared of concussion symptoms. Professional footballers in the AFL, NRL and Super Rugby always have a doctor on the sideline monitoring their condition. A more conservative approach should be taken for amateur and junior football where there may not be qualified medical practitioners at all times. It is recommended that in these situations, a concussed player should not return to the field.

Even in professional footballers, a doctor may rule out a player from returning. This may be because they show ongoing symptoms of concussion such as headache, nausea, dizziness and vomiting.