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The aim of the current review was to systematically identify, evaluate and synthesize trials that examine concussion prevention via equipment, educational programmes and training programmes.
Concussion is a
type of traumatic brain injury and the brain injury can only be avoided via
prevention. The prevention of head injury has been efficiently explained in
this study with the help of educating those involved with sports, teaching
proper sports techniques and using protective equipment.
The aim of the
current review was to systematically identify, evaluate and synthesize trials
that examine concussion prevention via equipment, educational programmes and
training programmes.
Data sources
PubMed and EBSCO host (CINAHL, MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus). The electronic databases
PubMed and EBSCO were searched using the phrases: concussion prevention
equipment, concussion prevention training and concussion prevention education.
Included studies utilised a prospective study design to evaluate the
preventative effect of: (1) equipment, (2) training or (3) educational
programmes on the incidence of concussions in comparison to a control group.
Data extraction Demographic data and intervention methods were recorded.
Intervention and control group concussion rates and superficial head injury
rates were extracted and combined using random-effects relative risk
meta-analysis.
Fourteen studies
evaluated interventions of novel protective equipment. One prospective
investigation evaluated an educational programme. The relative risk of
concussion for participants enrolled in the interventional arms of trials was
not significantly different from that in standard practice arms (RR=0.78, 95%
CI 0.55 to 1.11, χ2=1.8, p=0.17; I2=85.3%, 95% CI 71.5% to 90.8%). The relative
risk of concussion for participants wearing protective equipment (i.e.,
headgear, full face shields) relative to their counterparts wearing standard or
no equipment, calculated from seven available reports, showed no effect of
intervention (RR=0.82, 95% CI 0.56 to 1.20, χ2=1.06, p=0.30; I2=86.7%, 95% CI
73.3% to 91.8%). The relative risk of superficial head injury for participants
wearing protective equipment relative to their counterparts, calculated from
three reports, showed a significant risk reduction (RR=0.41, 95% CI 0.31 to
0.56, χ2=34.13, p<0.0001; I2=53.1%, 95% CI 0% to 85.2%).
Prospective
controlled studies indicate that certain protective equipment may prevent
superficial head injury, but these items are suboptimal for concussion
prevention in sport.
Br J Sports Med 2016 Jun 1
Current state of concussion prevention strategies: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective, controlled studies
Daniel K. Schneider et al.
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