Definitions for Concussion descriptors
| Operational variable | Definitions |
|---|---|
| Scenario—identifies the context that precipitated the eventual injury12 | |
| With teammate | Injury occurs as a result of actions/involvement of teammates |
| With opponent | Injury occurs because of actions/involvement with members of opposing team |
| Fall/trip | Independent of interference from other players, player loses footing and trips/falls |
| Other | Any situation not described by above scenarios |
| Inconclusive | Unable to definitively identify scenario/result of combination of scenarios |
| Player position | |
| Hooker | Identified by number on playing jersey or on injury report |
| Prop | Identified by number on playing jersey or on injury report |
| Second row | Identified by number on playing jersey or on injury report |
| Flanker | Identified by number on playing jersey or on injury report |
| Number eight | Identified by number on playing jersey or on injury report |
| Scrum Half | Identified by number on playing jersey or on injury report |
| Fly-half | Identified by number on playing jersey or on injury report |
| Centre | Identified by number on playing jersey or on injury report |
| Wing | Identified by number on playing jersey or on injury report |
| Back | Identified by number on playing jersey or on injury report |
| Body region: concussed player—area of concussive contact12 | |
| Head/face | Initial contact to area of head/face |
| Neck | Initial contact to neck, that is, area between shoulders and head |
| Shoulders/arms | Initial contact to shoulders/arms |
| Torso | Initial contact to torso, that is, body NOT including head and limbs |
| Hips and below | Initial contact to hip area or below, that is, hip to ankle |
| Inconclusive | Unable to definitively identify body region/combination of regions |
| Object or body region of other player—anatomical region or object concussed player makes concussive hit onto | |
| Head | Concussion contact to area of head/face |
| Neck | Concussion contact to neck, that is, area between shoulders and head |
| Shoulders/arms | Concussion contact to shoulders/arms |
| Torso | Concussion contact to torso, that is, body NOT including head and limbs |
| Hips and below | Concussion contact to hip area or below, that is, hip to ankle |
| With ground | Concussion contact occurs onto ground |
| With pole | Concussion contact occurs into pole |
| Inconclusive | Unable to definitively identify body region/combination of regions |
| Body location—refers to anatomical aspect of the region struck (eg, if contact is to forehead=anterior)12 | |
| Anterior | Front |
| Posterior | Back |
| Lateral | Side |
| Inconclusive | Unable to definitively report |
| Acceleration direction of head—identifies biomechanical plane(s) of concussed player's head motion12 | |
| Sagittal | Forward—backward movements |
| Coronal | Side-to-side movements |
| Transverse | Rotational or twisting movements |
| Multiplane | Movements incorporating more than one plane |
| Inconclusive | Unable to definitively identify plane |
| Head position pre—contact: concussed | |
| Up and forward | Toward object/contact player |
| Away | Away from object/contact player |
| Down | Towards the ground |
| In motion | Player's head was moving |
| Head position on contact: concussed player | |
| Up and forward | Towards object/contact player |
| Away | Away from object/contact player |
| Down | Towards the ground |
| In motion | Player's head was moving |