Concussion

What is concussion?

Concussion is an injury to the brain that can happen after a fall or impact to the head or body.
Even if it looks like the symptoms are mild it can have serious effects if not managed well.
Why is it important?
- The symptoms of concussion can come and go so it’s important to know what to look for and how to manage it.
- Symptoms might only start later. People can look and/or feel fine straight after the injury but symptoms start later.

First few days – a second injury might cause dramatic brain swelling which is thankfully very rare but can be fatal.
Days to weeks – you won’t perform as well if your brain is not fully recovered. This is likely to put you at risk of injuring yourself and/or others. (In particular – in racing, riding before you have recovered might cause injury to you or others or horses, especially if you have symptoms, eg: dizziness, confusion, balance difficulties)
Long term – repeated concussions can lead to long term brain conditions.
For more information, please click the link to access the Racing2Learn course.

There are two versions of the graduated return guidelines,
- Graduated return to riding – for racing staff and riders without a current GB jockey license
- Graduated return to racing – for jockeys and riders (jump, flat & P2P) with a current GB licence
Both versions involve the same 6 stages
There are a few differences between the versions mainly because jockeys have access to specialised assessment and rehabilitation so we manage them on an individual basis, whereas concussion in a grassroots setting is likely to be self-managed. So there are safety timings attached to the grassroots version.