‘Heading’ in the right direction: concussions reported at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games

Head injuries and concussion in Para sport have garnered increasing attention in recent years. Concerns have been raised regarding the reporting and identification of concussions sustained during Para sport, where little clinical information may be available. Risk factor identification, baseline screening, recognition/diagnostic tools and management strategies used in ablebodied sporting populations may not be valid in this population, due to the athletes’ underlying impairment and variation in comorbidities. To date, most attention has been paid to athletes with visual impairment competing in contact and high velocity sports, with data showing these athletes are at higher risk for concussions compared with ablebodied athletes.