Similar questions on a 'swift return' are being raised by 25% of minor league hockey players now that were asked when Chicago Blackhawk's leading scorer Martin Havlat returned to the ice for game four of the Western Conference Final after sustaining a concussion only two days earlier. A new study by St. Michael's Hospital neurosurgeon Dr. Michael Cusimano has said that athletes with symptoms of a concussion do not know if they should continue to play hockey. Nearly a majority of these players were also unable to identify a concussion or its related symptoms.

The findings are part of a study by Dr. Cusimano that analyzed the concussion knowledge of 142 adults (coaches, trainers and parents) and 267 players from GTA Atom (10-years-old), Bantam (14-years-old), AA (highly competitive) and house league divisions. The study is published in the May edition of the Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences.

"Serious misconceptions exist among minor league hockey players,athletes, coaches and parents when it comes to understanding the signsand symptoms of a concussion and its treatment,” said Dr. Cusimano, aprofessor of neurosurgery, education and public health at the Universityof Toronto and vice-president of ThinkFirst Canada, a national injuryprevention organization. “While many can identify how a concussion mayoccur, most cannot identify the symptoms and are under the impressionthat concussions can be treated with physician-prescribed medication orphysical therapy. Many also believe it’s okay to return to play beforethey have fully recovered from such a brain injury. This is troublesomesince repeated brain injuries can lead to long term effects in functionssuch as memory, behaviour, mood, social relations and school or workperformance."