HEADCHECK Health

10/20/2026

Myth: You need an MRI or CT scan to diagnose a concussion.

Fact: Not true. MRIs and CT scans are built to find structural damage, things like bleeding, swelling, or a tumor. A concussion is a functional injury. It changes how the brain works, not how it looks. That means it will not show up on a scan.

Concussions are diagnosed through clinical assessment: symptoms, balance, cognition, and a validated tool like the SCAT6, evaluated by a physician or Athletic Therapist. The scan is not the test. The assessment is.

Know the signs. Trust the protocol.

10/14/2026

Welcome to HEADCHECK, Cape Breton McNally Jets U16aaa!

"Our goal is to always maintain athlete safety and look after their wellbeing," said Medical Administrator Austin Chapman. "HEADCHECK Health gives us all the tools we need to achieve this. Removing the barrier of the unknown when someone has a concussion and not knowing their baseline truly makes a difference in athletes’ health and safety!”

Based in Membertou, Nova Scotia, The Cape Breton McNally Jets U16 AAA play in the Nova Scotia U16 AAA Hockey League (NSU16AAAHL). To learn more, visit https://na3.hubs.ly/y0GjsV0

10/09/2026

Safer sport in higher education starts with better concussion awareness.

Launched at the British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) Conference 2026, two new guidance documents on Sport-Related Concussion in Higher Education are now available:

📘 Sport-Related Concussion in Higher Education, a practical framework to support safer sport across HE
📗 A Best Practice Model for the Management of Sport-Related Concussion in UK Higher Education

Both were developed through the BUCS Concussion Group. They're designed to help universities, students' unions and sport providers build concussion-conscious environments that put student safety and wellbeing first.

Read and download the guidance 👉

Launched at BUCS Conference 2026, we are pleased to share two guidance documents on Sport-Related Concussion in Higher Education.

10/05/2026

New research (Batten et al., 2026) just published looked at how professional soccer players feel about concussion and brain health, and the findings are worth paying attention to.

Researchers surveyed 600 current and former players through the Professional Footballers' Association, and a few things stood out:

⚫️ More players said they'd had a suspected concussion at some point than had ever received an actual diagnosis, meaning a lot of head injuries may be slipping through the cracks.

⚫️ Most players agreed that they shouldn't be the ones deciding whether it's safe to keep playing after a knock to the head.

⚫️ There was strong support (over 80%) for bringing in temporary concussion substitutions, especially among retired players and those with longer careers.

⚫️ A lot of players, particularly those who've retired, said they're genuinely worried about the risks of heading the ball and developing conditions like CTE down the line.

⚫️ Nearly half said they'd never actually received any concussion education, which points to a real gap that needs addressing.

Read the full study:

Professional football players acknowledged important challenges in concussion recognition and management and broadly support policy measures aimed at improving player safety. The findings highlight potential gaps in concussion diagnosis and education within the professional game and suggest that pla...

10/01/2026

Is your child ready to return to the classroom following a concussion?

As kids head back to school, it's a good time for parents, educators, and coaches to understand the Return-to-Learn (RTL) process.

✅ Most student athletes achieve a full RTL with no additional supports within 2-4 weeks of their concussion.
⚠️ Some students, especially those with higher symptom severity, a history of migraines or prior concussions, kids under 12, or those facing high cognitive demands, may benefit from temporary academic accommodations.

If support is needed, it can take a few forms:
🖥️ Environmental: modified attendance, rest breaks, limited screen time
🚶 Physical: walking encouraged, avoiding contact activities and PE
📝 Curriculum: extra time on assignments, pre-printed notes
⏰ Testing: exemptions or extended time on exams

Healthcare providers, schools, and families all have a role to play in making sure this transition is safe and well-supported!

Infographic via Concussion in Sport Group (CISG). Download now: https://na3.hubs.ly/y0CcgD0

09/25/2026

With another academic year underway, how prepared are your schools to handle concussions? We're revisiting this HEADCHECK Health Talks episode from last year to find out.

On this episode, we sit down with Dr. James Stavitz from Kean University to unpack why so many schools still lack the protocols, staffing, and resources to properly manage concussions, and what needs to change to keep student-athletes safe.

Whether you're a parent, coach, healthcare professional, or educator, this is a timely watch as the season kicks off!

Watch: https://na3.hubs.ly/y0DLMl0
Listen: https://na3.hubs.ly/y0DLGN0

Listen to HEADCHECK Health Talks for expert insights on concussion protocols and injury management. Interviews with leading experts, researchers, and sports executives.

09/23/2026

Welcome to HEADCHECK, Western International Junior Hockey League!

“The health and safety of our players has to be at the forefront of everything we do as a league," says Chairman Brandon Buliziuk.

"Partnering with HEADCHECK Health gives our teams access to a proven, professional approach to concussion management and helps ensure our players are supported with the appropriate resources when an injury occurs. As a development-focused league, we have a responsibility to not only develop our players on the ice, but to take care of them off the ice as well. We are proud to partner with HEADCHECK and believe this will be an important step forward for player safety across the WIJHL."

The Western International Junior Hockey League (WIJHL) is an independent junior ice hockey league featuring 10 teams across British Columbia and Washington State. The newly formed organization includes a mix of established regional clubs and new expansion franchises operating outside of Hockey Canada. To learn more, visit https://na3.hubs.ly/y0Dz7M0

09/18/2026

Welcome to HEADCHECK, Canadian Athletic Club!

"We chose HEADCHECK Health as our concussion management partner because athlete safety is our top priority. The platform gives our trainers another valuable tool to support their work and make informed decisions when caring for our athletes," says Head Trainer Susan Yackabowski (BPE, SpRMT).

"The app is incredibly easy to use, and the Return-to-Play process provides real-time updates that keep everyone informed. The immediate visibility significantly reduces administrative work, minimizes back-and-forth communication, and ensures that all information is current and accessible."

The Canadian Athletic Club (CAC) is an elite youth hockey organization based in Edmonton, Alberta, offering players the opportunity and environment to develop both their hockey skills and interpersonal abilities. The club fields teams across multiple age divisions, including U18 and U15 AAA programs, competing within the Alberta Elite Hockey League. To learn more, visit https://na3.hubs.ly/y0D2Ms0

09/14/2026

HEADCHECK is proud to partner with the Nova Scotia U18 Hockey League (Nsu18mhl)!

HEADCHECK will provide digital tools for NSU18MHL team staff to document suspected concussions, complete assessments, track player concussion history and manage return-to-play protocols.

"Every team in this league already takes concussion management seriously, and our trainers do excellent work," said league president Paul Graham.

"What we did not have was a way to see it, connect it, or carry it with a player when they move. Standardizing on HEADCHECK means every NSU18MHL player knows the protocol gets executed the same way, and it means the league has professionalized player safety."

09/08/2026

Switching playing surfaces might raise injury risk more than the surface itself.

A new study (Robertson et al., 2026) tracking nine seasons of elite rugby found that athletes who played on a different surface than the week before saw injury rates and severity jump ~24% compared to weeks with no change. The risk was highest when switching onto artificial turf, especially for teams less used to it — suggesting the body needs time to adapt to a new surface, not just to the surface type itself.

Takeaway for any sport: if you're moving between grass, turf, court, or track, don't underestimate the adjustment period. Give your body time to acclimatize before pushing hard on a new surface.

Full study:

This study examined the association between playing surface changes and match injury risk in professional men’s rugby in England. Nine seasons of injury data (2013/14–2021/22) were collected from 1...