Table 1

Mandatory signs of concussion and appropriate action

SignsAction
Loss of consciousness
Lying motionless for >5 s*
Confusion/disorientation
Amnesia
Vacant look
Motor incoordination
Tonic posturing
Impact seizure
Ataxia		Remove the athlete from the field of play
In some codes (eg, AFL, NRL, NFL, WR), the athlete may not return to the game once removed for a mandatory sign (referred to as ‘no-go’ criteria in the NFL). In other codes, a mandatory sign results in a mandatory assessment conducted in a distraction-free environment to determine whether to allow the player to return to the field of play.

  • *NRL and AFL use >1 s as a discretionary sign for an off-field assessment.

  • AFL, Australian Football League; NFL, National Football League; NRL,  National Rugby League; WR, World Rugby.