Physios treating patients who have suffered concussion are well aware of the risk of brain damage, but this is not the only thing they should look out for.

According to Dr Courtney Kipps, club doctor at rugby club Harlequins, there is also an increased risk of musculoskeletal (MSK) injury following concussion, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) reports. 

Speaking at the Medico Legal Association of Chartered Physiotherapists conference earlier this month, Dr Kipps said there is a 60 per cent chance of an MSK injury occurring in the months following a concussion incident. 

Dr Kipps, who is also an honorary consultant in sports and exercise medicine at University College London Hospital, said that when being assessed in a clinic environment, patients who have suffered a concussion should be checked for physical symptoms such as headaches and drowsiness, as well as cognitive memory problems and mood changes. For sports players, he recommended that a "gradual and steeped" return to action is vital after suffering such an injury. 

The issue of concussion in sport has been the subject of considerable debate in recent months. In professional football, there is continued discussion about whether players who suffer head injuries should be allowed to continue playing, even if the individual in question is willing to do so. 

Dr Kipps claimed it is vital that people are educated on the symptoms of concussion and how they can prevent long-term damage from occurring. He added that some sports may change their rules in order to reduce the likelihood of such injuries, pointing to the recent decision in the US to ban under-11s from heading the ball in football as evidence of this.