Sport-related concussion (SRC) is a growing public health concern in Australia and internationally, affecting athletes across all levels of participation—from children and community sport to elite and professional competition¹. While many concussions resolve with appropriate management, a substantial proportion are associated with prolonged recovery, repeat injury, and cumulative neurological risk. Increasing attention is also being directed toward the potential long-term consequences of repeated head impacts, including neurodegenerative disease¹.

In the United States, SRC is estimated to account for 2.5–3.8 million injuries annually, representing approximately 5–10% of all sports-related injuries². Children and adolescents are disproportionately affected; individuals aged 5–19 years account for nearly one-third of emergency department presentations, reflecting both high participation rates and increased vulnerability of the developing brain². Although concussion is often described as a transient disturbance, 10–30% of individuals experience persistent symptoms lasting weeks to months, with a smaller subset progressing to chronic impairment²,³.

Clinical management of SRC is currently based on symptom recognition, clinical assessment, and graded return-to-play protocols, supported by consensus guidelines⁴. However, these approaches rely heavily on subjective reporting and may fail to detect ongoing biological injury, increasing the risk of premature return to activity and repeat concussion. Consequently, there is growing interest in biological biomarkers to improve diagnostic confidence, guide return-to-play decisions, and reduce the risk of secondary injury³.

In Australia, data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare indicate that sport-related concussion hospitalisations have increased steadily over the past decade⁵. Team ball sports—particularly the football codes—remain the leading contributors, while motor sports and equestrian activities demonstrate the highest hospitalisation rates when adjusted for participation⁵. This trend reflects both increased participation and improved recognition, underscoring the need for objective, scalable tools to support concussion assessment and management.