The South African Rugby Union has welcomed the launch of a Concussion Management Education Website by the International Rugby Board (IRB).
The IRB announced launched the site this week, describing it as one of the most comprehensive sport-specific concussion management initiatives. The website is free to access at www.irbplayerwelfare.com/concussion and will soon be available for the iPad and iPhone platforms for easy pitch-side access.
SARU Medical Manager, Clint Readhead, said he welcomed the IRB’s initiative, as it highlighted rugby’s commitment to making the game safer. He said it added enormous value to SARU’s own national rugby safety programme, BokSmart, which already places major emphasis on appropriate concussion identification and management.
The BokSmart programme requires that all coaches and referees, regardless of their rugby qualification or pedigree, attend a workshop and become, and remain certified on the national rugby safety programme in order to operate in South Africa.
“Concussion can lead to serious medical problems if not managed correctly and training programmes such as this, which aim to educate all who are involved in the game, will ensure that the athlete’s health remains top priority,” said Readhead.
“Every coach and referee that attends our courses receives the BokSmart Concussion Guide which provides a step by step approach to the appropriate identification and management of concussion. The BokSmart Concussion Guide fits easily into their pockets so that they can have it available at all practices and matches,” said Readhead.
The BokSmart website, www.BokSmart.com, has a wealth of additional information on the topic as well as tools that a lay person or medically-trained person can use in order to identify and manage a player suspected of having a concussion.”
Readhead said the BokSmart Rugby Safety programme was developed to ensure that players are managed according to the latest research and best practice principles. More than 31,000 referees and coaches have been certified through the programme.
For more information on the BokSmart programme, go to www.boksmart.com, www.facebook.com/BokSmart or follow us on Twitter: @BokSmart