As Super Bowl Sunday 2011 approaches, sports concussion brain injury concerns are more prevalent in the news. For some athletes, ImPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) computer software is being used to test athletes to determine if they have suffered a brain injury. Athletes are first given a baseline test, which is then used as a comparison to tests given after the athlete experiences symptoms of a traumatic brain injury in sports activities. The computer test asks simple questions and records response times and other factors. It measures players’ verbal and visual memory, processing speed, and reaction time to within 1/100 of a second. The test is used to help clinicians and athletic trainers determine when/if the athlete can return-to-play the sport after a concussion. The test itself takes about 20 minutes to complete and measures different aspects of cognitive functioning. The test is more of an objective measure of the athlete’s condition, instead of relying on the athlete’s own reporting of how he is doing or the trainer’s subjective opinion.
This computerized testing program is already being used by teams in the National Football League (both the Packers and the Steelers are users of this software), as well as the National Hockey League, Major League Baseball teams, Major League Soccer teams, some National Basketball Association teams, Professional Automobile Racing associations, and is being used at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. Also in Colorado, many colleges and universities, such as CU, CSU, and DU are using the software for their athletes. High Schools around the state are using the software too. Additionally, some clinics and hospitals, including The Children’s Hospital and Vail Valley Medical Center are using the software.
For more information on this testing software visit: http://impacttest.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment