AFL players with concussion returning to play too soon: study

Footballers are returning to play too soon after a concussion injury.

Image: Getty

A Monash University study of amateur Australian rules footballers has found the brains of players are still recovering two weeks after receiving a concussion, calling into question the length of existing recovery guidelines.

See 

• Monash story 
• The Age story

Brain injury from concussion in young football players causes long-term damage

Study shows subtle abnormalities in young AFL football players' brains
six months after concussion injury.

Monash Neuroscience Trauma Group researchers have published the first study to report long-term physical damage to the brains of young adult Australian rules players, even six months after their most recent concussion, raising concerns about the long term neurological health of these players. 

See:

• Monash Medicine news story
• Cerebral Cortex paper 
• Monash Trauma Group
  

Contact sport athletes are returning to play too soon after concussion, study finds

Research shows contact athletes are returning to play too soon.
Image: Shutterstock

New research from Monash University into brain changes post-concussion indicates that the brain remains injured and potentially vulnerable after more than two weeks – raising concerns that new AFL concussion guidelines may be still allowing athletes to return to play before the brain has fully recovered.

In a paper published in the journal, Cerebral Cortex, Monash researchers conducted MRI scans on concussed athletes from amateur Australian Football clubs in Melbourne at both 48-hours and 2 weeks after their concussion, and compared them to non-concussed athletes.