ONE in four young GAA athletes has admitted to researchers they continued to play while concussed, research from NUI Galway has found. The study, which analysed young club players from across Ireland, found males were more likely to play while concussed than females.
Despite concussion becoming the most controversial issue in sport, the authors of the study found there was still widespread confusion around the short- and long-term health consequences of the condition among those surveyed, all aged between 13 and 25.
“Results from this study indicated participants lack a complete understanding of concussion, as common misconceptions about it prevailed,” the authors wrote.
While recent concussions in rugby have provoked heated debate about the safety of the sport, particularly for underage players, awareness is growing more slowly in GAA. In January Mayo’s management team was criticised for not withdrawing Lee Keegan, 26, from a match against Cork after the wing-back suffered a blow to his head during a collision with Cork’s Eoin Cadogan. Keegan was allowed to stay on the field for 10 minutes before being substituted. Mayo’s medical team later accepted that he should have been withdrawn sooner as a precaution due to his concussion symptoms.
The GAA’s Return to Play guidelines state that any player suspected of having a concussion should be removed immediately from the field and should not return on the same day.
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However the study of club players, which focused on 80 players aged between 13 and 25, found many believed concussion could be “toughed out” with 40.9% of males reporting they had played while concussed and 17.2% of women reporting they had done the same.
The study, in last week’s International Journal of Adolescent Mental Health, backs up previous research.
The study, drawn from 80 players from various counties, found while 96% knew headaches and dizziness were symptoms of concussion, only 52.5% were aware that “feeling in a fog” and only 62.5% knew feeling “slowed down” were also indications.