Top sports doctor reveals concerning concussion timeline for Aussie codes

Mercury

4 days ago

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One of Australia's leading sports doctors suspects combating the full extent of concussion remains 'years and years' away.
Dr Peter Harcourt was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame on Thursday after 40 years of medical service.
He oversaw seven Olympic Games and spent time in the AFL and at Basketball Australia tackling the biggest medical hurdles.
Harcourt says concussion remains one of the top challenges in world sport and while Australia's football codes have made progress, 'there's still a long way to go'.
'Concussion is the big one at the moment and I think sport is making some pretty big progress,' Harcourt said.
'Certainly, you can see that in the way the game is being played in AFL and in NRL and other competitions like that.
'I think understanding exactly the full depth of it and the mechanisms of it, prevention, the treatment, there's still a long way to go.
'This is going to take years and years to pull it apart and understand what the risks are and how you actually combat that.'
Dr Peter Harcourt AM was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame on Thursday at the MCG. Picture: Hamish Blair
Several AFL players, including premiership stars Jeremy McGovern and Angus Brayshaw, have been medically retired due to concussion in recent seasons.
Cronulla Sharks co-captain Dane Finucane also last year retired following advice from medical professionals.
Harcourt said the awareness of long-term damage had prompted players and sporting clubs to change the narrative around head knocks.
'There's no holding back organisations these days in terms of tackling something that is really critical for the welfare of their athletes,' he said.
'The way we managed it 40 years ago was it was a self-limiting condition that would fully resolve – that's the way you thought about it.
'These days obviously you don't because you're worried about the long-term risks associated with that sort of trauma.
'I think the culture in the player groups has changed in that they will come forward and tell you when they're not well.
'There's been a lot of awareness. I'm not saying that it wouldn't happen (hiding concussions), but I think it's much less than what might've happened 10-15 years ago.'
Originally published as One of Australia's most experienced doctors believes combating concussion is 'years and years' away