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New data showing sport concussion claims in the Gore district are 40% higher than the rest of Southland is no reason to jump to conclusions, an expert says.
New data from the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) found there were 1135 new concussion-related sports claims in Southland during the five years to this year.
Close to 200, or 17%, of those concussions occurred in the Gore district, but founder and senior headache consultant at The Headache Clinic Helen Tufui said ACC claims data alone did not paint the clearest picture of how concussion played out.
“What I would want to know next is whether Gore genuinely has more concussions occurring per hour of sporting participation, or whether Gore is simply better at recognising and reporting them,” Mrs Tufui said.
“Those are two very different conclusions.”
In Southland, 43% of the new sports concussion claims were from rugby union, about 4% lower than figures from the start of 2015 to the year ending in 2020.
This was 15% higher than the national average of new concussion claims from rugby union, based on national data from January 1, 2021 to June 30, 2026.
Rugby Southland was approached for comment.
The more than 1000 new concussion-related sports claims in Southland in the past five years showed that in the rest of Southland, from 2021 to September 2026, 45% of new claims occurred in the Invercargill City Council area, and the remaining 38% took place in the Southland District Council area.
Having over 1000 new concussion-related sports claims in Southland, in the five years to September 13, was a 43% increase, compared with the previous five years.
Taking population size into account, ACC’s record of 197 new concussion-related sports claims in the Gore district in the past five years to September was 40% higher than the rest of Southland.
Nationally, between 2021 to June 30 2026, new claims for sport concussion-related injuries had risen by as much as 20%.
Mrs Tufui said claim numbers alone did not give the full picture.
“An increase in concussion claims is something we need to pay attention to, but I don’t think we should automatically assume it means dramatically more concussions are occurring,” Mrs Tufui said.
During the five years to this year, about 53% of Southland concussion-related sports claims concerned people aged from 10 to 19, and about 20% of claims regarded sportspeople aged from 20-29.
About 60% of concussion-related sports claims in Southland from 2015 to the end of 2020 concerned people aged from 10 to 19, 14% higher than what was recorded nationally, based on data between January 1, 2021 and June 30, 2026.
Mrs Tufui said there could be several reasons why young sportspeople were affected by concussion.
“Teenagers also tend to be greater risk-takers, and participation in sport is high in this age group,” Mrs Tufui said.
“Younger athletes may have less neck strength and physical control than fully developed adults.”
ACC and Sport NZ has released a free course targeted at those who supported young sportspeople through concussion — When in Doubt, Sit Them Out.
ACC injury prevention partner Nat Hardaker said the free 30-minute course was designed to be easily absorbed.
“We’re trying to change the culture around concussion in sport,” Miss Hardaker said.
“Good early management can improve long-term outcomes and minimise the risk of another concussion or other injury.”
ACC estimated about 45% of sport concussions had gone unreported.
This was because symptoms of concussion went unrecognised and athletes wanted to continue playing sport, Miss Hardaker said.
Mrs Tufui said concussion often made sportspeople not “feel like themselves”.
“Speaking up when something doesn’t feel right isn’t weakness, and removing someone from play isn’t overreacting, it is protecting their brain and their long-term health,” Mrs Tufui said.
Mrs Tufui had developed a rapid response concussion kit — Hit Kit, which offered practical guidance and tools for the first few days of a suspected concussion.
National guidelines for sport concussion in New Zealand stated players must be symptom-free for 14 days post-injury to return to play, and must spend a minimum of 21 days away from full competition.