What symptoms might a player tell me about?
Guideline- UK
- UK Concussion Guidelines
- Grassroots sport
- Non-elite sport
- All ages (primary school upwards)
- If in doubt, sit them out
- 2024
- Parents
- Coaches
Ask the player how they feel. Any one or more of these, after a head injury, may suggest concussion:
- Headache or "pressure in the head"
- Dizziness or feeling off balance
- Disorientation (not aware of their surroundings, such as the opponent, period or score)
- Mental clouding, confusion or feeling slowed down
- Drowsiness, feeling "in a fog" or difficulty concentrating
- Visual problems
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Sensitivity to light or sound
- Feeling more emotional
- "Just not feeling right"
Concerns raised by a parent, official or spectator about a player also count.
Concussion can affect four areas: physical (headaches, dizziness, vision changes), thinking (not thinking clearly, feeling slowed down), mood (short-tempered, sad, emotional) and sleep (sleeping too little or too much). Players should be honest and report symptoms straight away: hiding them is linked to a longer recovery.
Added 21 Oct 2026