Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 5 (SCAT5)

Objective[edit | edit source]

[1]Sport Concussion

Developed by the concussion in sports group, SCAT5[1] is a standardized tool used by Medical professionals and qualified health care professionals to aid in evaluation of athletes suspected of having sustained a assessment and management of concussion[2]. SCAT 5 can also be used to obtain baseline data among health athletes for future reference. It's also noted that understanding of sport related concussion mechanism can help the recovery of the injury among the youth athletes[3].

Intended Population[edit | edit source]

Athletes 13 years and over[2]

Description[edit | edit source]

SCAT5 has 2 major components; An immediate/on-field assessment tool and an off-field assessment tool.

Immediate/on-field assessment comprises of;[4]

  • Taking note of red flags
    • Neck pain or tiredness
    • Double vision
    • Weakness or tingling/burning in arms or legs
    • Severe or increasing headache
    • Seizure or convulsion
    • Loss of consciousness
    • Deteriorating conscious state
    • Vomiting
    • Increasingly restless, agitated or combative
  • Checking for observable signs of concussion.
    • Lying motionless on the playing surface
    • Balance and/or gait difficulties
    • motor incoordination: stumbling, slow laboured movements
    • Disorientation or confusion, or inability to respond appropriately to questions
    • Blank or vacant look
    • Facial injury after head trauma
  • Memory assessment using Maddock's questionnaire
  • Examining the level of consciousness using the Glasgow Coma Scale.
  • Cervical spine assessment.

The off-field assessment is preferably carried out in a clinical setting and it involves:[4]

  • Taking a comprehensive history of the players condition
  • Symptom evaluation
  • A cognitive screen, which is a measure of orientation and immediate memory.
  • A measure of concentration
  • A neurological screen
  • Delayed recall 

The results of the assessment are compared to a previously conducted baseline assessment or to normative score and are used to confirm a concussion. 

Method of use[edit | edit source]

An athlete displaying obvious signs of concussion on pitch are immediately withdrawn from play and an immediate./on-field assessment is carried out[5]. In this case completing an off-field assessment is not required.

An athlete who gets involved in an event with potential to cause a concussion, but without obvious signs and symptoms of concussion may be allowed to continue playing while being monitored.[2] An off field assessment tool should then be completed after play.

Once SCAT5 is completed, results of each component are compared against the baseline. Any deviation from the baseline should lead to high level of suspicion for concussion.

Links[edit | edit source]

SCAT5

Consensus statement on concussion in sport

References[edit | edit source]

  1. McCrory P, Meeuwisse W, Dvorak J, Aubry M, Bailes J, Broglio S, Cantu RC, Cassidy D, Echemendia RJ, Castellani RJ, Davis GA. Consensus statement on concussion in sport—the 5th international conference on concussion in sport held in Berlin, October 2016. British journal of sports medicine. 2017 Jun 1;51(11):838-47.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 McCrory P, Meeuwisse WH, Dvořák J, Echemendia RJ, Engebretsen L, Feddermann-Demont N, McCrea M, Makdissi M, Patricios J, Schneider KJ, Sills AK. 5th international conference on concussion in sport (Berlin). Br J Sports Med. 2017 Jun 1;51(11):837.
  3. McLeod TC, Wagner A. J., & Bacon, CEW (2017). Lived Experiences of Adolescent Athletes Following Sport-Related Concussion. Orthopedic journal of sports medicine.;5:12.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Echemendia RJ, Meeuwisse W, McCrory P, Davis GA, Putukian M, Leddy J, Makdissi M, Sullivan SJ, Broglio SP, Raftery M, Schneider K. CATThe sport concussion assessment tool 5th edition (S5): background and rationale. British journal of sports medicine. 2017 Jun 1;51(11):848-50.
  5. Brukner, Peter. Brukner and Khan's Clinical Sports Medicine, 4th Edition; Chapter 17. Australia: McGraw-Hill 2012.