Consensus Statement on Concussion in Sport: the 3rd International Conference on Concussion in Sport held in Zurich, November 2008

This is the third international consensus statement from the Concussion in Sport Group, based on a meeting in Zurich in October 2008 and published in a British Journal of Sports Medicine supplement in 2009. It was the first of the series to follow a formal consensus-conference process, and it is written for physicians, therapists, certified athletic trainers, other health professionals and coaches. It was released with the SCAT2 assessment tool.

The panel dropped the simple-versus-complex classification introduced in Prague and replaced it with a list of modifying factors that may call for closer investigation or more cautious management. It recommends physical and cognitive rest until symptoms resolve, followed by a graded, stepwise return to play, and it advises against same-day return for any child or adolescent athlete.

The statement supports balance testing as part of assessment and treats neuropsychological testing as an aid to clinical judgment rather than the sole basis of decisions. It found no good clinical evidence that helmets or mouthguards prevent concussion and called for research on topics such as rehabilitation strategies and long-term outcomes.