Trends in recovery from repeated concussion in collegiate athletes in collision sport

Abstract

Sports-related concussion (SRC) is a growing concern across all age groups, particularly among collegiate athletes facing rigorous academic and athletic challenges linked to performance. For this reason, a large body of research is about this demographic. While our approach to studying concussions is more sophisticated than ever, much remains to be learned. This review addressed three specific areas of literature concerning SRC. First, does a previous concussion history predispose an individual to future head injuries? Second, does the number of concussions impacts return to play (RTP) time? And third, does the interval between concussions affect the recovery trajectory? While this is not a comprehensive review, we have compiled compelling evidence strongly favoring all three of these questions.