Machine Learning & AI: Predictive models for concussion recovery and risk stratification.
Helmet & Equipment Innovations: Advances in protective gear for contact sports.
Personalized Medicine: Genetic factors influencing concussion susceptibility and recovery.
Blood-Based Biomarkers: Routine sideline testing for real-time concussion diagnosis.
Longitudinal Studies: Investigating long-term cognitive and psychological effects.
The aim is to develop an age-appropriate definition of sport and exercise in children and adolescents for use in concussion management and concussion research.
A modified Delphi methodology, with three rounds and consensus, defined a priori as ≥ 80% agreement.
Thirty-one participants (13 male, 18 female) from 13 countries, including clinical psychologists, epidemiologists, implementation scientists, neurologists, neuropsychologists, neurosurgeons, pediatric emergency physicians, pediatricians, physiotherapists, rehabilitation physicians, speech-language pathologists, and sports medicine physicians came to a consensus that sport-related pediatric concussion extends beyond the sporting arena, and includes the school yard, playground, park, street, recreational site, and home; excludes non-accidental violence, assault, and passenger vehicle road trauma; may include falls; and age-group terminology includes Toddlers and Young Children (1-4 years), Children (5-12 years), and Adolescents (13 to < 18 years). Sport and exercise categories and individual examples are provided.
This consensus definition of sport and exercise in pediatrics for concussion research and management will enable researchers and guideline development groups to expand pediatric concussion research and management guidelines to encompass the broad range of activities commonly associated with sport- and exercise-related concussion in children and adolescents and thus limit exclusion of relevant studies from systematic reviews and guideline development 1).
The study provides a much-needed standardized definition of sport and exercise in pediatric concussion research, ensuring that relevant activities are included in future guidelines—however, the lack of empirical validation and potential overgeneralization warrant further investigation. Future research should focus on testing this definition in real-world concussion management and surveillance programs. Additionally, addressing socioeconomic and cultural variations in how children engage in exercise and play could enhance the definition's applicability across diverse populations