title: Concussion Management Practice Patterns Among Sports Medicine Physicians.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The primary purpose of this study was to examine concussion management practice patterns among sports medicine physicians in the United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study using a web-based survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Members of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM).
  
  
  METHODS
  We distributed a questionnaire to physician members of the AMSSM assessing the current practices for evaluating and managing concussions sustained during sports. Specifically, we asked respondents about their use of management guidelines, medications, balance assessments, neuropsychological tests, and return-to-play strategies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 3591 members emailed, 425 (11.8%) respondents responded. Ninety-seven percent of respondents reported basing current management of sport-related concussion on a published set of criteria, with a majority (91.9%) following the guidelines provided by the Fourth International Conference on Concussion in Sport. Seventy-six percent of respondents reported using medication beyond 48 hours postinjury. Acetaminophen was reported as the most commonly administered medication, although tricyclic antidepressants and amantadine were also commonly administered. Vitamins, minerals, and dietary supplements were also reported as commonly administered. Most respondents reported using a form of neuropsychological testing (87.1%). A majority of respondents (88.6%) reported allowing athletes to return to competition after concussion only once the athlete becomes symptom free and completes a return-to-play protocol.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most sports medicine physicians seem to use recently developed guidelines for concussion management, regularly use medications and neuropsychological testing in management strategies, and follow established return-to-play guidelines.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sports medicine physicians seem to have clinical expertise in the management of sport-related concussion.
authors.affiliation: *The Rothman Institute Orthopaedics, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; †Department of Family and Community Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; ‡Division of Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopedics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; §Sports Concussion Clinic, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; ¶The Micheli Center for Sports Injury Prevention, Waltham, Massachusetts; ‖Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; and Departments of **Pediatrics; and ††Orthopedics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stache
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Howell
authors.forename: William P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Meehan
mesh_terms: D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D001924:Brain Concussion / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D057566:Self Report; D013178:Sports Medicine; D014481:United States