HEADCASE:
Recognised as one of the UK’s leading concussion awareness and education resources, the RFU’s HEADCASE programme aims to increase understanding and provide information on concussion and other related topics, including how to prevent and manage suspected concussions.

To complete one of the free online education HEADCASE modules please click on the link below & then onto relevant module below. There are relevant modules for players, parents & coaches:

https://www.englandrugby.com/participation/playing/headcase

WHAT IS CONCUSSION?
Sport related concussion is a traumatic brain injury resulting from a blow to the head or body which results in forces being transmitted to the brain. This typically presents as a rapid onset of short-lived impairment of brain function that resolves spontaneously.

This impairment results from a functional disturbance, rather than a structural injury, and no abnormality is seen on standard hospital scans. A range of signs and symptoms are typically seen, affecting the player's thinking, memory, mood, behaviour, level of consciousness, and various physical effects. Clear loss of consciousness occurs in less than 10% of cases.

Recovery typically follows a sequential course over a period of days or weeks, although in some cases symptoms may be prolonged.

CONCUSSION IN RUGBY
How common is concussion in rugby?

Concussions occur in everyday life and not just in sport. As a contact sport, rugby does involve frequent body impacts and a risk of accidental head impacts, and therefore a significant potential risk of concussion.

According to the data collected through the RFU’s Community Injury Surveillance & Prevention Programme (CRISP) in age grade rugby (age 15 – 18) the most recent rate shown equates to 1 concussion per team every 10 games and 1 concussion per team every 25 games in adult male rugby. In professional rugby it is 1 every 2-3 team games.

The rise in the rates seen since 2012/13 are almost certainly due to the increased awareness and the much lower threshold for suspecting concussion, and reflect the success of the awareness and education programmes, and media coverage.