SCOTLAND'S Chief Medical Officer has warned that a failure to manage the risks of concussion in games such as rugby could lead to a drop in sports participation at grassroots level.
Dr Catherine Calderwood believes fears over the effects of suffering a head injury could lead fewer people to take up sports which could lead them to living healthier lifestyles.
But she said that if properly managed, the relatively low risk of concussion should not stop people from playing sport or allowing their children to take part, and hailed advice given to sports clubs by the Scottish Government on what to do in the event of a sportsperson suffering a concussion.
Earlier this year, Scotland became the first country in the world to introduce standard guidelines for dealing with concussion in sport, following a campaign by Peter Robinson, whose whose 14-year-old son Ben died in 2011 as a result of returning to play rugby after suffering a head knock.
The guidelines were created for all grassroots sports and activities for the management of concussion, from aerobics, rugby, football and other contact sports.
Writing in the British Journal of Sports Medicine Dr Calderwood called for more collaboration between sports to ensure the risks and treatment of concussion are understood
She said: "As doctors, our first concern is always the health and wellbeing of the people we look after. Participation in rugby, and in sport offers considerable benefits to physical and mental health, and we are keen to promote sport and an active lifestyle in Scotland.
"The last thing I want is for parents to stop their children from taking up sport because of the fear of concussion. We must all work together to stop this from happening.
“The launch of the Scottish Concussion Guidelines highlights that we are working hard to educate players, and all those involved in sport, about the dangers of concussion, and we will continue to do so. The clear message is ‘if in doubt, sit them out.’”
The issue has been thrown into focus this week by the kick-off of the Rugby World Cup featuring stars such as George North, the Welsh winger who has spent a prolonged period on the sidelines due to repeated bouts of concussion. Fears over the level of concussions suffered by professional players led the former Scotland No8 John Beattie to donate his brain to science after his death to help scientists understand effects of playing the sport at a high level.
The article is co-written with Dr Willie Stewart of Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, an advisor to World Rugby and leading expert on brain injuries in sport, and Dr Andrew Murray a Sports and Exercise Medicine consultant with the University of Edinburgh.
Dr Calderwood and her colleagues said that while there are concerns over sports concussion, there remain considerable health benefits in participation in sport.
The solution to managing sports concussion is not to cease sport, but to better inform and manage the injury.
Dr Stewart added: “Understandably there are concerns around immediate and long term risks of sports concussion. However, these risks are relatively small and there is also no doubt whatsoever about the many benefits of participation in sport.
"Through promoting better recognition and management of concussion we would hope to have a win-win situation; all the benefits of sport, with even lower risks from concussion.”
Dr Andrew Murray, a sports and exercise medicine consultant with Edinburgh University, said: "Regular physical activity may be the best present we can give our children, on average they will live seven years longer, be happier, and get better marks at school, so we must encourage this. But you only get one brain."
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