Sam Cane-backed kit to help community sport respond to concussions

An Invercargill clinician has developed a portable kit to help parents, coaches and volunteers respond to suspected concussions in community sport.

Professional athletes usually have doctors and physios on the sideline. At club and school level, however, the first response often falls to people with little or no medical training.

Former All Blacks captain Sam Cane said that difference was significant.

“In the professional game we do a pretty good job, but we’re so lucky to have the expertise of the physios, the doctors, everyone on hand and so many eyes watching the game,” he said.

“But obviously at community level, particularly, we’re relying on volunteers and parents to do their best.”

ACC accepted more than 12,000 sports-related concussion claims in 2024, with recovery support costing more than $80 million. Further, the agency estimated about 30% of sports-related concussions went unreported, taking the total to more than 15,000 a year.

Clinician Helen Tufui said patients were arriving at her Invercargill clinic unsure about what they should have done immediately after the injury.

That prompted her to create Hit Kit, a portable pack designed to guide people through the first three days after a suspected concussion.

“I could see that we needed something practical, some clear guidance that was in language that everyone could understand, that outlined what those practical steps were that we could take,” Tufui said.

The kit includes a step-by-step recovery guide, a red flag checklist, an instant ice pack, a small wound care pack and a supplement containing NAC and magnesium.

It is designed to be used alongside medical care – not as a replacement for an assessment by a health professional.

Tufui said the initial response to an injury could affect how long symptoms continued.

“I think we can do better in terms of if we do the right thing right at the start, at the point of injury, then hopefully we can change the rate of persistent concussion down the track.”

Cane, who experienced concussions during his playing career, is now an ambassador for the kit.

He said people could panic after a serious head knock, particularly when they were unsure what steps to take.

“What I like about the Hit Kit is that it gives you really clear instructions on what to do,” he said.

“Often when there’s a concussion or a nasty head knock, there can be a little bit of panic, so it’s just real clear guidelines on what to follow.

“I just know from my experience, with any injury, what gets done in those first three days and the first week goes a long way to making sure you make a full recovery.”

Cane said he would like to see concussion kits become a common feature on the sidelines of community and contact sports.

“No one wants to mess with the brain,” he said.

“Creating awareness and education is the most important thing and making sure we protect the brain long term.”