McNamee, M. J., Patridge, B., & Anderson, L. (2015). Concussion in Sport: Conceptual and Ethical Issues. Kinesiology Review, 4(2), 190-202.
This article looked at the differences in approached to definition and diagnosis of a concussion. The authors stated that the concept of concussion is unclear, “there is still lack of agreement among medical researchers and sports medicine clinicians about the precise nature of mild traumatic brain injury” (p. 190). It is a difficult condition to diagnosis since it may take the athlete up to 30 days to be symptom-free. In addition to diagnosing the concussion, the prevalence of it is also unclear since players fail to report symptoms and coaches have no idea what to look for.…show more content… “CISG is comprised of sports physicians and has published four statements on concussion management in 2001 Vienna statement, 2004 Prague statement, 2008 Zurich statement, and 2012 Zurich statement” (p. 191-192). They each have statements stating no same day return to play, however, they each lack a clear prescription, or specific directive, as to when a diagnosis of concussion must apply.
Also, the return to play decision may be overridden by the team physician based on clinical judgment. In the case of children and adolescents, the parents or physicians make the decision for the minor since they are considered incompetent. The issue of paternalism arises, not just for minors but also for adult athletes. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a condition when the athlete experiences the symptoms for an extended period of time. There is no proven link between the concussion and…show more content… It is understood why parents should make the decision about their child’s return to play. They believe that their child is incompetent to make an important decision about their health and all they want to do is play. One of the consensus statements stated that when the child reports their symptoms, appropriate diagnosis tools might be used. In relation to adults, it is the physicians, coaches, or referee that makes the decision about the athletes return to play. They feel like they are making the decision to protect the athlete from any more harm. The issue of conflict of interest related to the physician-athlete relationship. Sports physicians who are paid by professional clubs or franchises will find themselves in a situation of competing or potentially conflicting interests. Ethically the physician should make the decision on return to play on what is best for their athlete. They need to make sure the appropriate diagnosis is made and inform only the relevant members of the team. This could also relate to the issue of confidentiality. “Most codes of professional conduct mandate professional–client confidentiality, but this is not an inviolable duty” (p. 199). The physician could face an ethical dilemma when the athlete requests the physician not to share his or her results with anyone. They physician should make the decision based on
