Danielle Salmon

PhD

Danielle Salmon headshot

Dr. Danielle Salmon is currently working with the SHRed Concussion team at the University of Calgary Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre as a Research Associate to support the World Rugby Girls Tackle Training Project. She also works with the International Rugby Players Association as their Head of Global Research. Previously she worked with World Rugby as the Concussion and Research Manager to deliver the RREP Study, which used a multi-system approach to optimize return to rugby following a concussion. In addition to the RREP study, she also delivered an Instrumented Mouthguard (iMG) and Micro RNA Saliva study during the 2021 Women’s World Cup and is a member of both the World Rugby Concussion and Women’s Player Welfare working group. Prior to that she worked with New Zealand Rugby as a Concussion Research Scientist where her worked focused on a community rugby concussion education, awareness and management strategy through RugbySmart, developed and conducted an injury surveillance program for Super Rugby, coordinated and implemented the Otago Rugby Head Impact Detection Study.

Awards and Distinctions

2013 Federation of Graduate Women Travel Scholarship, Dunedin, NZ

2013 Maurice & Phyllis Paykel Trust Travel Grant, University of Otago, Dunedin, NZ

2010-2013 University of Otago Doctoral Scholarship, University of Otago, Dunedin, NZ

2009 Finalist for Graduate Student Award, Canadian Society of Exercise Physiology Conference, Nov. 11, 2009, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC

2007 Graduate Student’s Association Scholarship, University of Regina

2005-2006 Canadian Society of Exercise Physiology Undergraduate Student Award, University of New Brunswick   

2005-2006 University of  New Brunswick Anne Murray Prize for Academic Achievement, University of New Brunswick

2005-2006 Dax Brown Memorial Scholarship, University of New Brunswick

2005-2006 Sodexho Scholarship, University of New Brunswick

2004-2005 Edwin Jacob Special University Scholarship, University of New Brunswick

2003-2004 Agnes Grey Wilson Prize, University of New Brunswick

2003-2006 University of New Brunswick Dean’s List, University of New Brunswick

2002-2003 University of Northern British Columbia Merit Award, University of Northern British Columbia

1999-2000 British Columbia Governor Generals Award, British Columbia

Publications

  1. Fownes-Walpole, M., Heyward, O., Till K., Mackay, L., Stodter, A., Al-Dawoud, M., Bussey, MD, Gordon, L., Hairsine, J., Kirk, C., Salmon, D.M. et al. Combining evidence and practice to optimise neck training aimed at reducing head acceleration events in sport: a systematic review and Delphi-consensus study. British journal of sports medicine. 2025 May 9.
  2. Badenhorst, M., Skilton, D., Zoellner, A., Lucas, P., Salmon, D.M., Walters, S., Mossman, K., Keung, S., Thompson, K., Sole, G. Sport, healthcare and educational organisations’ perceptions of a framework for managing concussion in New Zealand schools: a qualitative study. Journal of Primary Health Care. 2025, Jul 3.
  3. Salmon, D.M., Badenhorst, M., Keung, S., Kerr, Z.Y., Register‐Mihalik, J.K., Romanchuk, J., Sullivan, S.J., Sutherland, C., Whatman, C. and Walters, S.R., 2024. Utilisation of New Zealand Rugby's concussion management pathway: A mixed methods investigation. European Journal of Sport Science. 2024, 24(12), 1883-1902.
  4. Salmon, D.M., Badenhorst, M., Brown, J., Romanchuk, J., Kerr, Z.Y., Walters, S., Clacy, A., Keung, S., Sullivan, S.J., Register-Mihalik, J. and Whatman, C., 2024. Concussion education for New Zealand high school rugby players: A mixed-method analysis of the impact on concussion knowledge, attitudes and reporting behaviours. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching. 2024, 19(1), 99-112.
  5. Salmon, D.M., Badenhorst, M., Sole, G., Sullivan, S.J. and Register-Mihalik, J., 2024. The balancing act-Physiotherapists’ experiences of managing rugby-related concussion in the community. Physiotherapy theory and practice. 2024, 40(7), 459-1476.
  6. Salmon, D.M, Badenhorst, M., Clark, B., Walters, S., Sullivan, S.J. and Sole, G., 2024. Unintended consequences-a qualitative exploration of baseline testing in community rugby concussion management. Journal of science and medicine in sport. 2024, 27(9), 594-602.
  7. Salmon D.M., Walters S, Brown J, Kerr ZY, Clacy A, Keung S, Sullivan SJ, Register-Mihalik J, Whatman C, Sole G, Badenhorst M. Managing concussion in the real world: Stakeholder perspectives of New Zealand Rugby's concussion management pathway. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching. 2024; 38(13); 1101-12.
  8. Bussey MD, Salmon D, Nanai B, Romanchuk J, Gomez RM, Tong D, Sole G, Tucker R, Falvey É. Assessing Head Acceleration Events in Female Community Rugby Union Players: A Cohort Study Using Instrumented Mouthguards. Sports Medicine. 2024, Sep 5:1-4.
  9. Bussey M.D., Salmon D.M., Romanchuk J., Nanai B., Davidson P., Tucker R., Falvey E. Head Acceleration Events in Male Community Rugby Players: An Observational Cohort Study across Four Playing Grades, from Under-13 to Senior Men. Sports Medicine. 2024; 54(2), 517-530.
  10. Register-Mihalik JK, Guskiewicz KM, Marshall SW, McCulloch KL, Mihalik JP, Mrazik M, Murphy I, Naidu D, Ranapurwala SI, Schneider KJ, Gildner P, Salmon DM, et al. Symptom Exacerbation and Adverse Events During a Randomized Trial of Early-Stage Rehabilitation After Sport-Related Concussion: Safety Outcomes From the Active Rehab Study. Journal of Athletic Training. 2024, 59(12), 1163-70.
  11. Costa, R., Salmon, D., Walters, S., Badenhorst, M. Navigating concussion–community rugby players’ experiences of a concussion management initiative in New Zealand. Brain Injury. 2024, 38(13),1101-12.
  12. Tooby, J., Woodward, J., Tucker, R., Jones, B., Falvey, É., Salmon, D., Bussey, M.D., Starling, L., Tierney, G. Instrumented mouthguards in elite-level men’s and women’s rugby union: the incidence and propensity of head acceleration events in matches. Sports Medicine. 2024, 54(5):1327-38.
  13. Roe, G., Sawczuk, T., Tooby, J., Hudson, S., White, R., Mackay, L., Owen, C., Starling, L., Cross, M., Falvey, É. and Hendricks, S., …Salmon, D…et al. Training and Match‐Related Head Acceleration Events in Top Level Domestic Senior Women's and Men's Rugby Union: A Multi‐League Instrumented Mouthguard Study. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports. 2024, 34(10), 1-9.
  14. Roe, G., Sawczuk, T., Owen, C., Tooby J., Starling, L., Gilthorpe, M.S., Falvey, É., Hendricks, S., Rasmussen, K., Readhead, C., Salmon, D. et al. Head Acceleration Events During Tackle, Ball‐Carry, and Ruck Events in Professional Southern Hemisphere Men's Rugby Union Matches: A Study Using Instrumented Mouthguards. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports. 2024, 34(6), e14676.
  15. Allan D, Tooby J, Starling L, Tucker R, Falvey ÉC, Salmon DM, Brown J, Hudson S, Stokes KA, Jones B, Kemp SP. Player and match characteristics associated with head acceleration events in elite-level men’s and women’s rugby union matches. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine. 2024, 10(4), e001954.
  16. Allan D, Tooby J, Starling L, Tucker R, Falvey É, Salmon D, Brown J, Hudson S, Stokes K, Jones B, Kemp S. The incidence and propensity of head acceleration events in a season of men’s and women’s English elite-level club rugby union matches. Sports Medicine. 2024, 54(10), 2685-96.
  17. Echemendia R.J., Burma J.S., Bruce J.M., Davis G.A., Giza C.C., Guskiewicz K.M., Naidu D., Black A.M., Broglio S., Kemp S., Patricios J.S., … Salmon D.M., … Acute evaluation of sport-related concussion and implications for the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT6) for adults, adolescents and children: a systematic review. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2023; 1;57(11): 722-35.
  18. Tooby J, Woodward J, Tucker R, Jones B, Falvey É, Salmon D.M., Bussey MD, Starling L, Tierney G. Instrumented Mouthguards in Elite-Level Men’s and Women’s Rugby Union: The Incidence and Propensity of Head Acceleration Events in Matches. Sports Medicine. 2023; Oct 31:1-12.
  19. Salmon D.M., Chua J., Brown J.C., Clacy A., Kerr Z.Y., Walters S., Keung S., Sullivan SJ, Register-Mihalik J, Whatman C, Sole G., Badenhorst M. Quest for clarity: investigating concussion-related responsibilities across the New Zealand Rugby Community System. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine. 2023, 9(4): 1-15.
  20. Salmon D.M., Badenhorst M., Keung S., Lucas P., Mossman K., Walters S., Sole G. Designing, implementing and evaluating a framework for managing concussions in New Zealand secondary schools: A study protocol. New Zealand Journal of Physiotherapy. 2023; 51(3):S1-9.
  21. Salmon, D.M., Badenhorst, M., Falvey, É., Kerr, Z.Y., Brown, J., Walters, S., Sole, G., Sullivan, S.J., Whatman, C., Register-Mihalik, J. and Murphy, I. Time to expand the circle of care–General practitioners’ experiences of managing concussion in the community. Journal of Sports Sciences. 2022; 40(19): 2102-2117.
  22. Salmon D.M., Chua J., Sullivan S.J., Whatman C., Brown J., Register-Mihalik J., et al. Sport concussion assessment in New Zealand high school rugby players: a collaborative approach to the challenges faced in primary care. Brain Injury. 2022; 36(2): 258-270.
  23. Salmon D.M., Badenhorst M., Walters S., Clacy A., Chua J., Register-Mihalik J., et al. The Rugby tug-of-war: Exploring concussion-related behavioural intentions and behaviours in youth community rugby union in New Zealand. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching. 2022; 17(4): 804-816.
  24. Salmon D.M., Chua J., Sullivan S.J., Whatman C., Brown J., Register-Mihalik J., et al. Baseline concussion assessment performance of community-based senior rugby players: a cross-sectional study. Brain Injury. 2021; 35(11): 1433-1442.
  25. Salmon, D.M., Romanchuk J., Sullivan J., Walters S., Clacy A., Register-Mihalik J., et al. Concussion knowledge, attitude and reporting intention in rugby coaches and high school rugby players. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching. 2020; 16(1):54-69.
  26. Salmon, D.M., Romanchuk J., Murphy I., Sullivan J., Walters S., Whatman C., et al. Infographic. New Zealand Rugby’s concussion management pathway. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2020; 54(5):298-9.
  27. Salmon D.M., Sullivan S.J., Romanchuk J., Murphy I., Walters S., Whatman C., et al. Infographic. New Zealand rugby’s community concussion initiative: keeping kiwi communities RugbySmart. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2020; 54(5):300-1.
  28. Salmon D.M., McGowan J., Sullivan S.J., Murphy I., Walters S., Whatman C., et al. What they know and who they are telling: Concussion knowledge and disclosure behaviour in New Zealand adolescent rugby union players. J Sports Sci. 2020, 38(14):1-10.
  29. Salmon D.M., Sullivan S.J., Murphy I., Register Mihalik J.K., Dougherty B., McCrory G. Square peg round hole - Time to customise a concussion assessment tools for primary care: The New Zealand experience? A call for a GP-SCAT. Brain Injury. 2020, 34(13-14), 1794-1795.
  30. Hoeta T.J., Oldershaw S.A., Young S.M., Salmon, D.M., Sullivan, J.S. First aid in rugby (FAIR) training: The Otago experience. The New Zealand Journal of Sports Medicine. 2020;47(1):20-6.
  31. Quarrie K., Gianotti S., Murphy I., Harold P., Salmon D.M., Harawira J. RugbySmart: Challenges and Lessons from the Implementation of a Nationwide Sports Injury Prevention Partnership Programme. Sports Medicine. 2020;50(2):227-30.

Contact

Email

danielle.salmon@ucalgary.ca

Address

Sport Injury Research Prevention Centre
University of Calgary
2500 University Drive, NW
Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4