AFL Concussion Return To Play Guidelines: The Complete Parent & Coach Guide
The most common question we get after a concussion diagnosis is simple: What happens now?
Most parents are not looking for medical terminology. They want to know if their child can go to school, use screens, exercise, train, play football, and what to do if symptoms come back.
This guide is designed to answer those questions in a practical way, using current AFL concussion guidelines and what we use every day in clinic.
The Short Version
- No same day return to play.
- Return to school before return to football.
- Progress through exercise gradually.
- Full contact training comes before match play.
- Earliest AFL return is Day 21.
- Medical clearance is required.
The AFL 21 day rule
Day 0 is the day the concussion happened.
For junior and community AFL, the earliest possible return to match play is Day 21. This is a minimum. It is not a promise that every player returns on Day 21.
Concussion day. Removed from play. No return that day.
Relative rest, symptom monitoring and medical assessment.
Return to school, exercise progression and football training stages.
Match play only if all stages are complete and medical clearance is given.
The date alone does not clear them
A player can only return when they are symptom free, back at school, tolerating exercise, completing football training and medically cleared.
The 24 hour rule
To progress, two things need to be true
- No symptoms during activity.
- No symptoms for 24 hours afterwards.
This is the central framework. If a stage brings symptoms back, the body has told us that stage was too much for now.
If symptoms return
Return to learn
School comes before football. If a teenager cannot tolerate learning, noise, screens and concentration, they are not ready for AFL training.
| Stage | School Activity | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 | Stay home if required. Quiet activity, rest and short reading if tolerated. | Let symptoms settle without full school load. |
| Stage 2 | 30 to 60 minutes of schoolwork at home. | Test concentration in small blocks. |
| Stage 3 | Half days at school. | Reintroduce classroom, noise and movement around school. |
| Stage 4 | Full attendance with modifications. | Build school tolerance with breaks, reduced tests or less screen load. |
| Stage 5 | Full school return. | Normal learning before normal football. |
Examples of school modifications
Half days, quiet breaks, no PE, extra time for work, delayed tests, shorter screen blocks, and permission to leave noisy areas.
Return to exercise
This is where many families feel unsure. The goal is to increase load without bringing symptoms back.
Relative rest
Examples: walking around the house, light conversation and light reading.
Avoid: training, running and gym.
Light aerobic
Example session: 10 minute walk, 5 minute rest, 10 minute bike.
Total 20 minutes. RPE 2 to 3 out of 10.
Moderate aerobic
Example session: 15 minute jog, bodyweight squats, bodyweight lunges and mobility work.
RPE 4 to 5 out of 10. No football yet.
Running and movement
Example session: 20 minute run, acceleration drills, deceleration drills and change of direction.
No contact, no tackling and no marking contests.
Return to AFL training
Football training needs to be staged. Kicking in space is very different to contested marking or match simulation.
| Stage | Allowed | Not Yet | Progress When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Football skills | Kicking, handballing, running patterns and light skills. | No contact, tackling, marking contests or contested drills. | No symptoms during or after skill work. |
| Higher intensity football | Agility, faster running, team drills and decision-making. | No contact and no match simulation. | No symptoms and confident with football movement. |
| Full training | Contact, tackling, marking contests and match simulation. | No match play until all criteria and clearance are complete. | Medical clearance, no symptoms and confidence to play. |
The full AFL return-to-play protocol, made practical
This is the part that matters most. A player does not move from “feels better” straight into football. They move through stages.
The key is knowing which stage they are in, what is allowed, and what would make them step back.
| Stage | What This Means | Allowed | Not Allowed | Progression Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Relative rest | The first 24 to 48 hours after injury. | Sleep, quiet home activity, short conversations, basic self-care. | Football, running, gym, school sport, long screen sessions if symptoms flare. | Symptoms are stable enough to begin gentle daily activity. |
| 2. Recovery stage | The athlete is rebuilding normal life first. | Walking, light stationary bike, short school blocks, gradual return to learning. | Contact sport, team training, contested drills, anything with risk of head impact. | Full school return, symptom free for at least 24 hours at rest and with harder exercise. |
| 3A. Non-contact training | The athlete is recovered and beginning graded loading. | Running, change of direction, kicking, handballing, light skills, controlled conditioning. | Tackling, bumping, marking contests, match simulation, chaotic contested drills. | No concussion symptoms during training or later that day. |
| 3B. Controlled contact training | Contact is reintroduced carefully once medically appropriate. | Planned contact drills, controlled marking, progressive football contact. | Unrestricted match simulation or games before all criteria are met. | No symptoms, confidence to continue, and medical clearance before full contact training. |
| 3C. Full contact training | The player completes normal football training demands. | Full training, tackling, marking contests, match-style drills. | Match play before the minimum timeline, symptom-free training and final clearance. | Completes full training symptom free and feels confident to play. |
| 4. Match play | Return to competition. | Game play from Day 21 at the earliest. | Playing because the fixture is important, or because 21 days has passed. | All stages complete, symptom free, confident, and medically cleared. |
The big distinction parents need to know
During the recovery stage, a mild and brief symptom increase can happen while the athlete is rebuilding activity. During the graded loading stage, concussion symptoms should not return. If symptoms return during graded loading, they need to step back and be reviewed.
Minimum timing parents should understand
- Relative rest is usually 24 to 48 hours.
- The recovery stage varies. Some athletes take days, others take weeks.
- The graded loading program is a minimum of 14 days.
- Junior and community AFL match play is Day 21 at the earliest.
- Children and teenagers often need longer than three weeks, especially if symptoms persist.
Return to play decision tree
Every box matters
If one box is missing, the player is not ready for match play. That is how we keep the decision simple when emotions are high.
What if symptoms return?
Symptoms returning does not mean the whole recovery is ruined. It means that stage was too much today.
Watch for
- Headache.
- Dizziness.
- Nausea.
- Brain fog.
- Fatigue.
Action
- Stop the activity.
- Return to the previous stage.
- Rest until symptoms settle.
- Seek review if symptoms persist or keep returning.
Real world example: Tom, 16 year old footballer
Tom is a 16-year-old footballer who suffers a concussion on Saturday. He has a headache after the game and feels foggy that night.
Saturday
Tom is removed from play and does not return. His parents monitor symptoms and arrange medical review.
Monday
He returns to school part time. Screens are kept short and he avoids PE.
Week 2
School is normal. He starts jogging and controlled exercise without symptoms.
Week 3
He progresses through football skills, then training. Contact only happens when medically cleared.
Day 21
Match play is possible if he has completed every step and has medical clearance.
Important
Not every athlete progresses this quickly. Some juniors need longer, especially if symptoms persist.
What we do at GRIT
We help families move from worry and guesswork to a clear, staged plan. The assessment is practical, not just a quick symptom chat.
We map symptoms, triggers, recovery pattern and what makes things worse later that day.
We check control in simple and sport-relevant positions, because balance changes can be subtle.
We assess dizziness, eye movement, visual motion sensitivity and busy-environment tolerance.
We check whether the cervical spine is contributing to headache, dizziness or pain.
We find the workload the athlete can tolerate and use that to guide the next step.
We bridge the gap from light aerobic work to running, acceleration and change of direction.
We assess readiness for skills, full training, contact and AFL match demands.
Coach responsibilities
Do
- Remove the athlete from play.
- Communicate clearly with the family.
- Follow medical advice.
- Modify training without making the athlete feel awkward.
Do not
- Pressure the athlete to return.
- Allow same day return to play.
- Skip stages because it is an important game.
- Rely on the athlete to self-clear.
Parent responsibilities
You do not need to become a concussion expert. You just need to monitor the right things and keep communication clear.
Monitor
- Symptoms across the day.
- School tolerance.
- Sleep and fatigue.
- Exercise response.
- Whether symptoms return later that night or the next morning.
FAQs
Can my child use screens?
Usually, yes, but use screens in short blocks. If symptoms increase, reduce brightness, duration and intensity, then build up again gradually.
Can they exercise?
Yes, once the early rest period has passed and symptoms allow it. Exercise should be controlled, non-contact and progressed one stage at a time.
Why 21 days?
The AFL community guideline uses a conservative minimum timeline for return to play. Day 21 is the earliest possible return, not an automatic clearance.
Do they need a scan?
Not always. Scans are used when a doctor is worried about a structural injury. A normal scan does not rule out concussion.
What if symptoms return?
Stop the activity, return to the previous successful stage, wait until symptoms settle, then retry. If symptoms persist, seek review.
Can they play another sport?
No contact or collision sport should resume until they have recovered and been cleared. This includes football, rugby, basketball, netball and other sports where head contact could happen.
What parents should remember
- Most young athletes recover fully.
- Return to school before return to football.
- Progress one stage at a time.
- If symptoms return, step back.
- Day 21 is the earliest possible return, not a guarantee.
If your child has had a head knock or is working through the AFL return-to-play process, GRIT can help with assessment, symptom tracking, school planning, exercise progression and football readiness.