Which symptom would be considered a red flag that warrants physician referral rather than AT management?

• A. Dizziness after standing
• B. Mild soreness after practice
• C. Occasional fatigue after workouts
• D. New severe headaches with neurological signs

Answer: (D)

The key idea is recognizing red flags that require medical evaluation rather than athletic trainer management. New severe headaches with neurological signs point to a potentially serious brain issue, such as a concussion complication, intracranial bleed, or another emergent condition. That combination of headache plus neurological symptoms (weakness, numbness, slurred speech, confusion, vision changes, seizures, or severe neck stiffness) can worsen quickly and may need imaging or other urgent medical care. Because of that, the appropriate action is to refer for medical assessment promptly and, if there are any signs of rapid deterioration or loss of consciousness, to seek emergency care immediately. By comparison, dizziness after standing can often be related to dehydration or orthostatic changes, mild soreness after practice is common, and occasional fatigue after workouts is expected in athletes; these situations typically do not trigger immediate physician referral.