What it's for
A concussion is an injury you can't see. Every federation's rule is the same: if in doubt, sit them out, and only a doctor decides the return. Paak's concussion protocol is a tracking aid that helps the club not forget a concussed player and avoid an early return — it does not assess fitness and does not replace medical judgement.
Record a concussion
From the athlete profile, open the Actions menu and choose "Record a concussion". Fill in:
- Date of the concussion — the day of the blow.
- Earliest return to play — pre-filled automatically (see below), editable.
- Recognised by (optional) — coach, club doctor…
- Notes (optional) — circumstances, observed symptoms.
Recording opens the stand-down immediately and shows the alert.
The recovery stand-down
Paak defaults to the minimum of the World Rugby graduated return-to-play (GRTP) protocol, aligned with the FFR:
- 21 days for an adult;
- 23 days for an athlete under 19 (younger players recover more cautiously).
This date is a safe starting point, not a medical decision: you can edit it per incident — a doctor may clear earlier, or hold longer.
The alert on the profile & team
While the protocol is active, a red "Concussion protocol" banner shows at the top of the athlete profile: "must not play or train until [date]" with the number of days remaining. On the team page, the player carries a red badge next to their name — the coach sees it when picking the squad. The alert is visible only to the club's coaches and admins; it never appears on any public page.
Authorise return to play
When a doctor has authorised the return, open the banner and click "Mark recovered". Paak asks you to confirm the decision came from a doctor, then lifts the alert. Paak never clears a player on its own — it only records the practitioner's decision.
Paak is not medical advice
The concussion protocol is a tracking aid — not medical advice. Paak does not assess fitness to return to play. Return after a concussion is a medical decision: only a doctor can clear a player. Follow your federation's protocol (FFR / World Rugby). A concussion is health data (GDPR Article 9): Paak protects it like medical certificates, and only your club's supervisors can access it.
FAQ
Is the protocol only for rugby?
No. It applies to any athlete in your club; the default windows (21 / 23 days) follow the rugby protocol — a recognised reference for contact sports — and remain editable.
What happens when the date has passed but no return is recorded?
The banner stays and notes the stand-down has elapsed — return is possible only on medical advice, recorded via "Mark recovered".
Can a parent or the public see the alert?
No. It is restricted to the club's coaches and admins.
help.compliance.concussion-protocol