Concussion is a global public health concern and a major issue in sport. Timely recognition and appropriate management may mitigate its negative outcomes. Sport-related concussion (SRC) is considered one of the most complex injuries in sport, with its diagnosis, assessment, and management posing a challenge to healthcare practitioners.

Best practice recommends adherence to the latest SRC assessment and management recommendations, eg, comprehensive baseline testing, multimodal concussion assessment, and staged return-to-play (RTP). However, lack of full compliance with these guidelines has been established in multiple countries and among various clinician groups. Absence or limited baseline testing; limited use of 3-domain minimum concussion assessment and reassessment; and poor implementation rate of vestibular, balance, and graded exertional training in concussion management were the main issues reported. In Ireland, limited use of 3-domain minimum concussion assessment/reassessment was also identified among athletic therapists, with general lack of awareness of current concussion-related recommendations and poor practices established among chartered physiotherapists. So far, shortage of funding, time, and delay in dissemination of the latest consensus statement recommendations by the local sporting organizations and governing bodies have been reported as the main reasons for poor compliance with gold standard practice in Ireland. However, a qualitative investigation of barriers to its implementation is worth exploring. Limited curriculum, lack of staff and their inadequate training, shortage of equipment, and cultural barriers were reported in other countries. Gaps in concussion-relevant theoretical and practical education are well documented in literature across different healthcare professional and student groups, with a poor level of concussion-related knowledge evident worldwide.