NBA adopts rules for head injuries

NEW YORK - The NBA has put in place a concussion policy that will determine when players return from head injuries.

The protocols went into effect with the start of training camps "for the safety and protection of our players," the league said Monday.

If a player is diagnosed with a concussion, he will have to complete a series of steps to confirm that he's healthy enough for competition. Once he is free of symptoms, the player must make it through increasing stages of exertion - from a stationary bike, to jogging, to agility work, to non-contact team drills - while ensuring the symptoms don't return after each one. Then the neurologist hired to lead the NBA's concussion program needs to be consulted before the player is cleared.