Raleigh Rugby Player Safety and Concussion Management

Raleigh Rugby is partnering with WakeOrtho to offer concussion management. From pre-injury assessment and management to facilitating return to play, WakeOrtho provides complete care for your athlete.

A concussion (also called a mild traumatic brain injury) can occur from whiplash or a direct blow to the head. This results in temporary loss of normal brain function, which can present potential symptoms such as dizziness, headache, fatigue, and many others. If you suspect an athlete may have a concussion, please remove them from play to have them evaluated.

WakeOrtho’s concussion evaluation involves using tools such as ImPACT concussion testing to establish an athlete’s ‘Baseline’ functioning status before the injury. This ‘Baseline’ can be used as an additional tool when an athlete is evaluated for a concussion.

CONCUSSION BASELINE TESTING:

The ImPACT Baseline Test is implemented by WakeOrtho in conjunction with Raleigh Rugby. The test can be taken at any time while the athlete is healthy. Once the test is completed, the results are stored online. Any doctor or neurologist who uses the Impact Test can review the results and use them to assist in the diagnosis and treatment plan if your athlete gets injured. Contact WakeOrtho representative, Roberta Falcone (rfalcone@wakeortho.com), for any questions and to schedule your baseline testing. This test is done virtually from your personal computer and takes 45 minutes to complete.

CONCUSSION MANAGEMENT:

For any player that sustains a concussion, Raleigh Rugby follows USA Rugby Concussion Policy:

If a player shows concussion symptoms before, during, or after a match, that player must be removed from play immediately, and not return during that match. No Exceptions.
The player needs to be evaluated by the appropriate medical staff. The best practice would be evaluation by a medical physician with training in concussion evaluation and management. A player must do this before returning to play rugby in any form.
If a concussion is diagnosed, that player must sit out of activity with full rest for the minimum guidelines listed below:
- Adults – 1 week (seven full days) AND be symptom-free before beginning the 5-day Graduated Return to Play (GRTP) Protocols. Not returning to contact rugby before GRTP is fully complete and symptom-free (12 days in total at a minimum).
- Youth and HS players (18 and under) – 2 weeks (14 full days) AND be symptom-free before beginning the 5-day Graduated Return to Play Protocols (19 days in total at a minimum). Not returning to contact rugby before GRTP is fully complete and symptom-free.
Once a player is cleared by a physician, they should be closely monitored for any lingering symptoms by coaches, parents, teammates, and medical staff and be removed from play immediately if symptoms occur.

Raleigh Rugby will require doctor approval to return to play if a player sustains a concussion.

WakeOrtho’s Concussion Clinic is staffed with Board Certified Sports Medicine Physicians ready to help if you/your player has sustained a concussion. Your athlete will receive a complete History, Physical, and Neurocognitive evaluation. ImPACT testing will be part of the evaluation when Baseline testing has been performed before the injury. Wake Orthopaedics does not require a Baseline Test for a Concussion evaluation.

Return to Play follows the Gfellar-Waller/NCHSAA Concussion Management Protocol (North Carolina Law) and the Raleigh Rugby Requirements. This includes a five-step program to ensure a player is physically fit for return to play. Return to play forms will be completed at your appointment to reflect your evaluation and ongoing treatment plans as necessary. Call 919-232-5020 to schedule a concussion evaluation appointment. These appointments typically take 30-45 min to complete.