Our Use of Tools for Assessing Concussion Is Inconsistent

The Future of Concussion Assessment

Other interesting technologies are being developed. One device I'm following with interest is a wireless head impact sensor module by X2 Biosystems (xPatch®; Seattle, Washington). This small, light-weight accelerator can transmit information about head acceleration to the sidelines. Another is the Triax™ system (Triax Technologies, Inc.; Norwalk, Connecticut), a monitor attached to a headband that can measure the force of any impact and calculate the "dose of brain trauma" over time. We soon will be able to calculate a dose beyond which the athlete will not be allowed to return to play.

So what else can prevent concussions?

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  Heads Up: The Heads Up Football program promoted by USA Football shows promise in reducing concussions by teaching players not to use their heads in tackling.
  
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  In soccer, proper ball size and heading technique can reduce the impact of the ball. In essence, players should hit the ball and not the other way around.
  
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  Rules enforcement: Good enforcement of rules can greatly reduce head injury. Football referees should prevent all use of the head in tackling. In soccer, FIFA reported that the number of serious head injuries in tournaments dropped by half after the league introduced a 2006 policy ejecting players who deliberately strike an opponent's head with an elbow. In addition, FIFA, the Union of European Football Associations, and CONCACAF have instituted a 3-minute break in a game with significant head trauma to allow doctors to assess the situation with the tools mentioned above.
  
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  Neck strengthening: While there's little research to show that neck strengthening can prevent concussions at this time, at least one study suggests that it can reduce the risk for cervical spine injuries.
  
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  Headgear: The research on headgear has been controversial. While helmets protect against injury to the skin and skull in a sport like hockey, they may not adequately reduce the acceleration that damages the brain. More studies are needed.
  

Sports medicine professionals have a lot of work ahead of us in reducing the rate and the impact of concussions, and we're not likely to eliminate them. But using the knowledge we already have would put us on the right track.