The UFC has come up with a concussion protocol quite similar to the one in NFL
A concussion is a huge part of any sport. And when it comes to contact sport like football, basketball it is pretty common.
Then comes MMA, where concussion is as common as the rising sun. Any hit to the head might lead to a concussion, and as a result, the UFC has come up with a concussion protocol for the first time.
The 484 page study uses data collected between 2017 and 2019 as a reference, and is pretty similar to the one used by the National Football League (NFL).
It has come in the wake of lot of concussion related stoppages in the UFC, of late. Aljamain Sterling was left concussed after Petr Yan’s illegal knee during their title bout at UFC 259, although the doctors cleared Sterling, saying he was concussion-free.
The digital journal released by the UFC is the second volume of findings by their own performance institute. Their first volume was released back in 2018.
There are quite a few things similar to the NFL’s return-to-sport protocol. A concussed athlete is supposed to go through a set of rules.
Once concussed the athlete is required to have two days of rest. It is then followed by two-stages of non-contact workouts. They are also required to use an assessment tool called the SCAT5.
On showing improvement, the athletes can move to moderate-contact workouts, before moving on to the final stage – returning to sparring.
But before returning to sparring, they have to be cleared by a physician.
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