Concussion Awareness (Mississauga Girls Hockey League)

The Mississauga Girls Hockey League realizes the dire state of concussion in sport. The Executive has declared it a priority to ensure all families are aware of the severity of concussions and their effects.

As an easy way for all of our members to educate themselves, the MGHL has created this page, and the accompanyingConcussion Awareness document, as a reference. If you have questions about the MGHL's commitment to the safety of our players, contact the MGHL at the information below.

Concussion Laws became mandatory in Ontario in 2018.
The following outlines concussion awareness and the MGHL’s concussion management protocol.

Concussion Code of Conduct and Mandatory Requirements

Concussion safety legislation requires every player, and all rostered bench staff, to review the Concussion Code of Conduct on an annual basis and sign and submit the OWHA Rowan's Law Acknowledgement.

This form must be signed before you can be registered as a player or rostered participant with the MGHL.

Concussion Awareness & Actions - What is it?

A concussion is a head impact by either a direct blow or indirect transmission of force can be associated with a serious and potentially fatal brain injury.

If there are significant concerns, including any of the red flags listed below, then activation of emergency procedures and urgent transport to the nearest hospital should be arranged.

• Neck pain or tenderness
• Double vision
• Severe or increasing headache
• Vomiting
• Seizure or convulsion
• Loss of consciousness
• Deteriorating conscious state
• Increasingly restless, agitated or combative
• Weakness or tingling/ burning in arms or legs

Concussion Awareness & Actions - What to Do

Evidence of 1 symptom means player must stop playing right away

• The player should not be left alone and should be seen by a doctor as soon as possible that day
• If a player is knocked out, call an ambulance to take them to a hospital immediately
• Do not move the player or remove athletic equipment like a helmet as there may also be a cervical spine injury; wait for paramedics to arrive
• If no symptoms, use the facts of the situation to assess the situation (player to sit a shift or two and reassess symptoms after adrenalin starts to wear off)
• Trainer has final decision on return to play that day

A player with a suspected concussion must not return to play that day, even if they report they are feeling better

• Problems caused by a head injury can get worse later that day or night (especially in children and adolescents) and can take up to 48 to 72 hours to show up
• Player cannot return to sports and begin the “6 Step Return to Play” until she has been cleared by a Medical Professional

6 Step Return to Play Process

STEP	DESCRIPTION
Step 1	Limited activity; mental/physical rest Proceed to step 2 with Medical Professional’s clearance
Step 2	Light aerobic exercise, such as walking or stationary cycling; monitor for symptoms/signs. (No resistance training / weight lifting, dryland)
Step 3	Sport specific activities and training (e.g., light skating)
Step 4	Practice; drills without body contact / battles; may add light resistance training and progress to heavier weights (e.g., dryland, pucks, and heavier skating) The time needed to progress from non-contact to contact exercise will vary with the severity of the concussion / injury and the player
Step 5	Begin drills with body contact (e.g., Battle on Boards, etc.)
Step 6	Game play! The earliest a concussed athlete should return to play is approximately one to two weeks if it’s a first concussion

Note: Players should proceed through return to play steps only when they do not experience symptoms or signs and a Medical Professional has given clearance. Players should repeat the Post Injury Assessment on the EQ App regularly during each step. Each step should be a minimum of at least 1 day, usually 2-3 days.

If symptoms or signs return, the player should return to the previous step, and be re-evaluated by a medical professional.

Return to Play applies to ALL injuries, not just concussions!

Websites

For more information, questions, or comments, please contact:
Erin Cassan | MGHL Registrar | [email protected]