A-45 Criteria for Determining Clinical Recovery from Concussion: A Survey of Sports Concussion Specialists.

This article focuses on a survey of 74 sports concussion specialists regarding the clinical criteria most frequently used to determine concussion recovery in youth and adults. Respondents, including neuropsychologists, certified athletic trainers, physicians, and a physical therapist, rated various recovery criteria such as symptom-free exertion, completion of graded return-to-play protocols, and physician evaluations. For both age groups, key recovery indicators included symptom-free participation in physical and cognitive activities, absence of anxiety about returning to sport, and physician clearance, with minor differences between youth and adults. The study also found that about three-quarters of specialists consider one week of symptom-free status sufficient to indicate recovery, and over half rated neurocognitive testing as essential or very important. These findings contribute to establishing a clinical practice template for defining concussion recovery.