Blackout is the first Italian cultural project dedicated to concussion in sport. We bring knowledge and practical tools to the people who live the game every day, at every level.
“If your leg hurts and you limp, everyone sees it. But with head injuries, it immediately feels weak to say that you are tired, that you have migraines or eye fatigue… So at first, we tell ourselves that it will pass.”Raphaël Varane · ESPN, 2 April 2024
Clarity, presence and focus matter as much as muscles that are ready and strong. The signs of a concussion are easy to overlook, but when they are recognised and managed in time, athletes can return to play in the best possible condition.
Sport-related concussions recorded every year in the United States.
In European rugby, concussion is the second most common injury, after muscle injuries.
In Italy, this data doesn't exist yet. That gap, and the need for greater awareness, is where we start.
Scientific conferences have been discussing concussion for years. Yet that knowledge often stays within medical journals and clinics, and rarely reaches a small-town locker room, the family of a girl who plays hockey, or a school PE class.
Blackout was created to close that gap. We dream of a sporting world where every concussion is recognised, understood and managed: by athletes, families, coaches, referees, clubs and health professionals.
We follow the athlete's journey through five stages. Each has something missing today, and something we can do.
Symptoms are little known and hard to recognise. The default reaction is “nothing happened”.
EducationAwareness campaigns designed for people who play sport, to help them recognise the signs.
Coaches and referees are often unprepared, and sideline assessment is rushed.
ProtocolsTraining and quick checklists, easy to use even for non-specialists.
People swing between downplaying it and rushing to the ER. Between black and white, we need shades of grey.
NetworkingTools to connect with professionals who can diagnose correctly and oversee recovery.
Return to play is often rushed, risking Second Impact Syndrome: a second blow before the brain has recovered.
GuidelinesSpreading return-to-play, return-to-school and return-to-work protocols.
Little is said about the cognitive and emotional effects that can emerge in the long term.
SupportCommunity and outreach, also with companies in the sports industry.
Health and sports professionals, as well as entrepreneurs and managers. Different careers, united by one goal: making sport a safer place.
