Sport-related Concussion

Concussion, or mild traumatic brain injury, accounts for 85% of brain injuries and is common in both professional and amateur sports. It results from kinetic impacts causing a temporary disruption of brain function, often without visible abnormalities on imaging, making diagnosis difficult. The majority of concussions remain undetected, without specific management. To facilitate detection, the development of reliable salivary BMs is essential, as they offer a non-invasive, rapid, and simple method for early identification of biological changes related to concussions.

Concussion (CC) (also called mild head trauma), which accounts for 85% of all head injuries, is very common in professional and amateur athletes. CC is an injury to the brain resulting from the direct or indirect impact of external mechanical forces, momentarily disrupting its function on a cellular level. Unlike more serious head injury (moderate and severe), which can be diagnosed using neuroimaging techniques (CT, MRI, etc.), patients suffering from CC do not necessarily show visible signs of structural abnormalities. As a result, diagnosis of CC is offen difficult. Recently, several salivary biomarkers (proteins and nucleic acids) of sport related concussion have been identified in professional athletes. However, their reference values have not been determined with sufficient robustness to enable their employment in concussion diagnostic tests.

Sport-related concussion (SRC) is a significant concern in soccer. This pilot quasi-experimental trial aims to investigate the efficacy and acceptability of an evidence-based neck resistance exercise program in female soccer athletes for SRC prevention. The 8-week intervention includes dynamic and static neck exercises designed to reduce linear and rotational head accelerations, improve neck muscle strength, and minimise SRC risk. The study will evaluate program outcomes through laboratory testing, questionnaires, and user feedback. Findings from this pilot study will inform the design and implementation of a full-scale study, aiming to advance preventive strategies in SRC and address the underrepresentation of female athletes in research.