In conjunction with the Racecourse Association (RCA), Injured Jockeys Fund (IJF) and Professional Jockeys Association (PJA), the British Horseracing Assocation (BHA) announced a series of initiatives to continue tackling the challenge of concussion management in British racing. Key points of the initiatives are focussed on education, regulation and research with the goal of keeping British racing at the forefront of concussion management in sport.
“Concussion management is one of the major issues facing world sport at present,” said Dr. Jerry Hill, Chief Medical Advisor for the BHA. “While British racing has for some time been a pioneer on this topic, I am determined that we remain at the forefront of scientific research, education and regulation when it comes to this crucial issue. Racing is a high-risk sport for concussion and, quite simply, our approach to assessment, management and treatment must be no less than world class.”
The BHA has started two education campaigns aimed at raising awareness of the effects of concussion, the potential impacts of continuing to compete with a concussion and how to recognise and manage head injuries. The BHA is also in consultation with the IJF and PJA concerning how concussion and brain injuries are managed, with a proposed upgrade to the BHA's sport concussion assessment tool (SCAT) and the have changed their baseline “Cogsport” neuro-psychological screening methodology. The BHA, working with the British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA), recently updated and enhanced its “Helmet Bounty Scheme”, which proveds a retail voucher towards the cost of replacing a concussed jockey's damaged riding helmet.
Added Hill, “Whatever our role in racing, we have a collective responsibility to ensure anyone who may be concussed is identified and protected during their recovery.”
For more information on the new concussion management initiatives, go to www.britishhorseracing.com.
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