Advancing concussion assessment and management in para sport athletes and individuals with disabilities

Concussion research in the context of para sports is an emerging field that seeks to address the complexities involved in understanding and managing head injuries among para athletes and individuals with disabilities. It is well-acknowledged that para athletes, who may have physical, intellectual, visual, or hearing impairments, are susceptible to concussions. during sport and daily life. However, the intricacies of how these injuries occur, their prevalence, and their impact on both sports and daily life activities remain inadequately explored. Compounding this issue is the absence of comprehensive concussion assessment protocols and management strategies tailored to athlete and non-athlete populations, including those with dual-sensory impairments. The intersectionality of disability with factors such as gender and race represents another layer of complexity requiring in-depth exploration to influence future guidelines on the prevention, assessment, and management of concussions in para sport athletes and individuals with disability related impairments.

This Research Topic aims to broaden the understanding of concussion research by advocating for impairment-specific and task-specific (e.g., sport-specific) studies that can shed light on this crucial issue. Our primary objective is to emphasize the need for inclusive research methodologies that reflect the lived experiences of individuals with disability-related impairments. Through showcasing the gaps and existing knowledge, we aspire to inspire researchers across multiple disciplines—including clinicians, social and basic scientists, epidemiologists, advocates and allies—to collaborate with individuals possessing lived experiences, thereby fostering a robust, inclusive framework in concussion research.

The range of this Research Topic is concentrated around para athletes or non-athlete individuals with disability-related impairments. The research welcomed in this field should integrate concepts of inclusion and intersectionality. To gather further insights in this area, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

• Epidemiology of concussion
• Risk factors impacting concussion incidence, recovery or development of persisting post-concussion symptoms
• Biomechanics and injury mechanism (sport-specific and/or impairment-specific risk)
• Modifying factors (e.g., gender, race, age) for concussion risk and assessment
• Concussion experience, including impacts on daily living and sport-related activities
• Concussion knowledge / nondisclosure in para sport and other communities of individuals living with a disability
• Concussion knowledge, particularly para-concussion knowledge, within health care providers
• Assessment of concussion, including adaptations of existing assessments and novel assessments
• Management and return to daily life/sport following concussion
• Prognosis after injury, including prognosis for recovery or development of persisting post-concussion symptoms
• Psychosocial / mental health considerations impacting recovery
• Equity and access to care – disparities in concussion care services, barriers to accessing medical care, policy recommendations for improving healthcare equity, etc.
• Long-term consequences of concussion

Appendix: This topic accommodates case reports, clinical or basic science studies, and reviews related to the themes stated above.