Introduction In professional rugby, sports-related
concussion (SRC) remains the most frequent time loss
injury. Therefore, accurately diagnosing SRC and
monitoring player recovery, through a multi-modal
assessment process, is critical to SRC management. In this
protocol study, we aim to assess SRC over multiple time
points post-injury to determine the value of multi-modal
assessments to monitor player recovery. This is of
significance to minimise premature return-to-play and,
ultimately, to reduce the long-term effects associated with
SRC. The study will also establish the logistics of
implementing such a study in a professional setting to
monitor a player’s SRC recovery.
Methods and analysis All players from the participating
professional rugby club within the Irish Rugby Football
Union are invited to participate in the current study. Player
assessment includes head injury assessment (HIA),
neuropsychometric assessment (ImPACT), targeted
biomarker analysis and untargeted biomarker analysis.
Baseline HIA, ImPACT, and blood draws are performed prior
to the start of playing season. During the baseline tests,
player’s complete consent forms and an SRC history
questionnaire. Subsequently, any participant that enters the
HIA process over the playing season due to a suspected SRC
will be clinically assessed (HIA and ImPACT) and their blood
will be drawn within 3 days of injury, 6 days post-injury, and
13 days post-injury.
Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval was attained
from the Science and Engineering Research Ethics
Committee, University of Limerick (Approval Code:
2018_06_11_S&E). On completion of the study, further
manuscripts will be published to present the results of
the tests and their ability to measure player recovery
from SRC.
Trial registration number NCT04485494.