Abstract
Abstract Purpose Research has established that the Paralympic Games have a higher injury rate than the Olympic Games, but less is known about how concussion rates may differ between these two populations. Concussions in Paralympic athletes are more difficult to accurately diagnose due to the lack of robust concussion guidelines specific to para athletes. This literature review sought to compare reporting of concussion symptoms and incidence between the Paralympic and Olympic Games since 2010. Data Selection: Searches of Google Scholar, PubMed, and ResearchGate were performed to identify Paralympic and Olympic injury and surveillance study data. Hand-searching citation lists yielded additional results. Articles were included if they reported head injury and/or concussion data. Results Fourteen articles were included that provided injury surveillance study data from 2010 to 2022. Data on head injury and concussion incidence and diagnosis were extracted and reviewed. Between 2010 and 2018, higher concussion rates were reported in Olympic athletes, possibly due to the lack of concussion-specific injury questions for Paralympic athletes. When concussion-specific injury questions for Paralympic athletes were implemented in 2018, data suggests that Paralympic athletes sustained more concussions than Olympic athletes. Additionally, the review suggested potential under-reporting of concussions in Paralympic athletes, despite symptoms, suggesting incidence may be higher than reported. Conclusions Higher concussion rates in the Paralympic Games and possible under-reporting of concussions highlights the need for improved identification and evaluation of concussions in Paralympic athletes. Establishing robust guidelines for the identification, evaluation, and management of concussions for para athletes is critical to increase their safety.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call