Following wide-ranging consultation with local and international authorities on sport-related concussion, Motorcycling Australia’s Medical Panel has released a comprehensive set of guidelines and requirements to manage and mitigate the effects of concussion.
The guidelines are designed to provide clear and concise advice to riders, teams, officials, motorcycle sports participants, coaches and healthcare personnel on all aspects of the concussion in motorcycle sport, from recognition and recommended treatment right through to returning to competition and having a clear understanding of the residual impacts of concussion.
Concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury caused by biomechanical forces, and the risks of motorcycle sport makes it of critical importance. It can be caused by any force from a minor ‘knock’ to a heavy and severe impact, and can significantly affect an individual’s health, performance and overall quality of life.
In motorcycle sport, concussion can occur while you are wearing a helmet or even in low-speed crashes.
Symptoms of concussion include mild headaches, tiredness, physical, cognitive and emotional disruption, reduced concentration, nausea, memory difficulties, irritability, dizziness and/or balance problems.
Motorcycling Australia’s new Concussion Management Guidelines are designed to empower all stakeholders with knowledge and procedures to effectively recognise, respond to, and manage incidents of concussion, with a focus on the ‘Rs’: recognise, reduce, remove, refer, rehabilitate, recover, return to learn/sport, reconsider and residual effects.
The guidelines are based on the International Consensus statement on Concussion in Sport and incorporate Australian guidelines from Concussion and Brain Health Position Statement 2023 with the experts of the MA Medical Panel adapting to the specifics of motorcycle sport.
A dedicated location on the MA website now hosts all of the information to assist in the event of concussion, or if you would like more information on the new MA Concussion Management Guidelines, as well as associated support documents and an easy to read Concussion Fact Sheet, visit www.ma.org.au/medical-concussion/.
The MA website concussion tab hosts the documents which detail the mandatory non-riding timeframes for adults and children following the confirmation of concussion. Additionally, it outlines the process, steps and requirements for the ‘’Return to Sport’’ procedures to get back to riding.
Peter Doyle, CEO, Motorcycling Australia:
“Our goal from the outset was to ensure the well-being of motorcycle racing participants and MA members was paramount.
Now the onus is on all stakeholders to make the issue of concussion front and centre, and our comprehensive Concussion Management Guidelines are a great resource to make that happen.
Motorcycling Australia, with input from our expert doctors on the MA Medical Panel and leading worldwide experts on the subject, is pleased to release the MA Concussion Management Guidelines which is an important step for our sport."