Hockey is a violent game. Players are making contact with each other every shift, including forcefully making contact with the opposition along the boards and in open ice. As a result, concu sions are a part of the game, and players who have suffered concu sions or may have suffered a head injury, are rightfully under the watchful eye of the league in today's game. There is a much larger emphasis being put on the health and safety of players, considering all of the information we now know about concu sions and the long-term effects they may have on the body. The NHL's concu sion protocol is a complex proce s. Being placed in it, as well as being activated from it, require multiple steps. MORE: The Sporting News takes a look at the NHL concu sion protocol, discu sing what it is, how players are placed in it and how they are removed from it. What is the NHL concu sion protocol? The is a system implemented in order to properly evaluate, diagnose and recover from concu sions in the league. How does the NHL concu sion protocol work? The NHL has implemented protocols in order to minimize head trauma in the league. Part of those regulations involves pulling a player from a game if it is deemed that he could have suffered a concu sion. involves Elyiss Williams Jersey the "mandatory removal of a player for an acute evaluation as soon as po sible if a concu sion is spotted." Here is what the concu sion spotter is looking for and what results in the removal of a player. Lying motionle s on the ice Motor incoordination/balance problems Blank or vacant look Slow to get up From a blow to the head or upper torso After the head makes contact with the ice After a player is punched in the head Once a spotter identifies one of the above as a po sibility, then an evaluation with the club physician and/or athletic trainer takes place. If the Club Physician verifies that the Player experienced lo s of consciousne s or ataxia from a direct or indirect blow to the head, this shall result in a diagnosis of concu sion. If it is determined that the suspected lo s of consciousne s or ataxia did not result from a direct or indirect blow to the head, the reason(s) for such determination shall be recorded in the SCAT5 App. It is during this evaluation that the player is either diagnosed with a concu sion or clears protocol and that player can return to the game How long does the NHL concu sion protocol last? Because concu sions and the symptoms vary from person to person, the timeline for a return differs. There are two initial steps under the NHL concu sion protocol regulations for players diagnosed with concu sions. First, a player will undergo an initial, brief period of physical and cognitive rest. This takes place 24 to 48 hours after the incident.Players then can gradually become more exposed to activities, as long as they do not provoke or worsen the symptoms of the concu sion. Here is the outline of the return-to-play progre sion in the NHL concu sion protocol. Symptom-limited activity: Dailyactivitiesthat do not provoke symptoms Introduction of aerobic exercise: Stationary cycling at slow to medium pace, limiting head movement. Introduction of functional movement patterns in the 3-planer motions; no resistance training Progre sion of intensity and duration: Interval training (e.g., stationary bike, treadmill, elliptical, etc.) and light resistance training On-ice non-contact activity: Begin with skating around the rink, with gradual progre sion of both intensity of exercise and magnitude of movement, with low risk of head impact Non-contact drills: Continue with intensity established in the previous stage, but now add additional cognitive, sensory, and visual tracking burdens; this typically includes the involvement of coaches and/or teammates (e.g., puck handling, shooting, positional play). Off-ice activity includes introduction of resistance training and plyometrics Controlled body contact: On-ice activity shall involve controlled body contact (e.g., with coaches or teammates) and cognitively complex drills simulating game situations Once a player is determined by the club physician to be free of concu sion-related symptoms, then the player is referred to the club's consulting neuropsychologist for a post-concu sion evaluation. This evaluation typically occurs prior to the player engaging in on-ice activity involving controlled body contact, but it is a requirement before returning to live gameplay. Kyron Jones Jersey