---
title: Concussions & FAQ | 4Check Hockey
description: Concussion recognition, return-to-play guidance, and body-checking safety research from USA Hockey, the NHLPA, and peer-reviewed studies.
---

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# Concussions & FAQ

We know how stressful it can be when it pertains to your health, and we want you to have real answers, not just a stack of links. Below is a curated library covering concussion recognition, return-to-play guidance, and body-checking safety in hockey specifically, sourced from USA Hockey, the NHLPA, and peer-reviewed research, alongside 4Check's own perspective on why proper checking instruction matters.

[← Back to Resources](https://4checkhockey.com/resources?hsLang=en)

![Will Blackburn](https://4checkhockey.com/hubfs/will-blackburn.png)

What to do if you suspect a concussion+

A step-by-step parent's guide to spotting concussion symptoms and what to do in the first minutes and days after a suspected head injury.

[nationwidechildrens.org: A Parent's Guide to Concussions](https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/specialties/concussion-clinic/concussion-toolkit/a-parents-guide-to-concussions)

Concussion Recognition Tool (CRT-5)+

The CRT-5 is the standard sideline screening tool used by trainers and coaches worldwide to flag a possible concussion in the moments after a hit.

[bjsm.bmj.com: Concussion Recognition Tool 5](https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/51/11/872)

General rules for Concussion Management+

Research-backed return-to-play protocols specific to elite ice hockey players recovering from a sport-related concussion.

[ijspt.scholasticahq.com: Optimizing Return-to-Play After Concussion in Elite Ice Hockey](https://ijspt.scholasticahq.com/article/31953-optimizing-performance-in-return-to-play-after-sport-related-concussion-in-elite-ice-hockey-players-a-sports-physical-therapy-and-athletic-trainer-pe)

A Nurse's Guide to Sports Concussions+

A clinical overview aimed at athletic trainers and medical staff on recognizing and managing sports concussions on the ice or bench.

[ceufast.com: A Nurse's Guide to Sports Concussions](https://ceufast.com/blog/a-nurses-guide-to-sports-concussions)

NHLPA Concussion Video: Say Something (2019)+

The NHLPA's own concussion-awareness message to players: say something if a teammate shows symptoms, even if they want to keep playing.

<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zAqLHEFE4m4" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:none;" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen title="NHL/NHLPA 2019 Concussion Education Video"></iframe>

Why Helmets Don’t Prevent Concussions+

A researcher explains why helmets protect against skull fractures but do little to prevent the brain movement that actually causes a concussion, part of why technique, not just equipment, matters.

<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/druJDI6hiiY" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:none;" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen title="Why helmets don't prevent concussions -- and what might | David Camarillo"></iframe>

New Tough: What It's Like As A Player Now (PSA)+

A player-perspective PSA on what it's like navigating today's faster, more physical game, and why awareness has to keep pace.

<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yJPp7oMvYSQ" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:none;" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen title="NEW TOUGH - Concussion Awareness Hockey PSA"></iframe>

USA Hockey Concussion Resources+

The governing-body baseline every USA Hockey–affiliated organization should have in place for concussion policy and protocol.

[usahockey.com: Safety & Concussions](https://www.usahockey.com/safety-concussions)

Why Women's Ice Hockey Has A Higher Concussion Rate Than Football+

Data on why concussion rates run higher in women's ice hockey than in football, and what that means for how organizations approach training for all players.

<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tIfXsxtnGr4" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:none;" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen title="Why women's ice hockey has a higher concussion rate than football"></iframe>

USA Hockey: Renewed Emphasis on Body Checking (2022)+

USA Hockey's 2022 case for teaching body checking deliberately and early, rather than avoiding it, as the safer long-term path for player development.

<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ApiyDFlxYD8" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:none;" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen title="A Renewed Emphasis on Body Checking to Develop Players for the Modern Game"></iframe>

CTE: Why This Brain Disease Is More Common Than You Think+

An explainer on Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE): what repeated head trauma can do over time, and why prevention matters more than treatment.

<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VB1Bos0LUnE" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:none;" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen title="CTE: Why this brain disease is more common than you think"></iframe>

NHLPA Concussion Video: Legal vs. Illegal+

What separates a legal, well-taught check from an illegal or reckless hit, the exact distinction 4Check's own coach training is built around.

<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GornRqDMS_g" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:none;" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen title="Player Safety: Hard, Legal Checks"></iframe>

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