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. 2016 Sep 29;2(1):e000053. doi: 10.1136/bmjsem-2015-000053

Table 1.

Definitions for Concussion descriptors

Operational variable Definitions
Scenario—identifies the context that precipitated the eventual injury12
 With teammate Injury occurs as a result of actions/involvement of teammates
 With opponent Injury occurs because of actions/involvement with members of opposing team
 Fall/trip Independent of interference from other players, player loses footing and trips/falls
 Other Any situation not described by above scenarios
 Inconclusive Unable to definitively identify scenario/result of combination of scenarios
Player position
 Hooker Identified by number on playing jersey or on injury report
 Prop Identified by number on playing jersey or on injury report
 Second row Identified by number on playing jersey or on injury report
 Flanker Identified by number on playing jersey or on injury report
 Number eight Identified by number on playing jersey or on injury report
 Scrum Half Identified by number on playing jersey or on injury report
 Fly-half Identified by number on playing jersey or on injury report
 Centre Identified by number on playing jersey or on injury report
 Wing Identified by number on playing jersey or on injury report
 Back Identified by number on playing jersey or on injury report
Body region: concussed player—area of concussive contact12
 Head/face Initial contact to area of head/face
 Neck Initial contact to neck, that is, area between shoulders and head
 Shoulders/arms Initial contact to shoulders/arms
 Torso Initial contact to torso, that is, body NOT including head and limbs
 Hips and below Initial contact to hip area or below, that is, hip to ankle
 Inconclusive Unable to definitively identify body region/combination of regions
Object or body region of other player—anatomical region or object concussed player makes concussive hit onto
 Head Concussion contact to area of head/face
 Neck Concussion contact to neck, that is, area between shoulders and head
 Shoulders/arms Concussion contact to shoulders/arms
 Torso Concussion contact to torso, that is, body NOT including head and limbs
 Hips and below Concussion contact to hip area or below, that is, hip to ankle
 With ground Concussion contact occurs onto ground
 With pole Concussion contact occurs into pole
 Inconclusive Unable to definitively identify body region/combination of regions
Body location—refers to anatomical aspect of the region struck (eg, if contact is to forehead=anterior)12
 Anterior Front
 Posterior Back
 Lateral Side
 Inconclusive Unable to definitively report
Acceleration direction of head—identifies biomechanical plane(s) of concussed player's head motion12
 Sagittal Forward—backward movements
 Coronal Side-to-side movements
 Transverse Rotational or twisting movements
 Multiplane Movements incorporating more than one plane
 Inconclusive Unable to definitively identify plane
Head position pre—contact: concussed
 Up and forward Toward object/contact player
 Away Away from object/contact player
 Down Towards the ground
 In motion Player's head was moving
Head position on contact: concussed player
 Up and forward Towards object/contact player
 Away Away from object/contact player
 Down Towards the ground
 In motion Player's head was moving