An Instrumented Mouthguard to Measure Head Accelerations Due To Impact

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grant Birmingham ◽  
Lilan Smith ◽  
Jennifer M. Brock ◽  
John Lund ◽  
Anthony J. Paris
Keyword(s):  
Head Injury ◽  
Laboratory Setting ◽  
Head Acceleration ◽  
Neurocognitive Deficits ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Head Impacts ◽  
Quantitative Measurements

In the long term, quantitative measurements indicating the magnitude and nature of head impacts will be essential to understanding the biomechanics of head injury. Tools are needed that can quantitatively measure the levels of head acceleration experienced by athletes in a variety of situations in order to assess these risks. The current research is aimed at developing instrumentation that is comfortable enough to use in the field and which can measure head accelerations from blows to the head repeatably and accurately. Soccer is a unique sport in that the unprotected head is deliberately used to direct the motion of the ball during play, which makes it practical to study in a controlled laboratory setting. While the possible long-term effects of heading are still subject to debate [1,2], there is evidence which suggests that it is responsible for transient neurocognitive deficits [3] and transient concussion symptoms [4].

Are specific players more likely to be involved in high-magnitude head impacts in youth football?

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan A. Gellner ◽  
Eamon T. Campolettano ◽  
Eric P. Smith ◽  
Steven Rowson
Keyword(s):  
Data Driven ◽  
Small Subset ◽  
Football Players ◽  
Head Acceleration ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Head Impacts ◽  
Youth Football ◽  
High Magnitude ◽  
The Relationship

OBJECTIVEYouth football attracts approximately 3.5 million participants every year, but concern has recently arisen about the long-term effects of experiencing repetitive head accelerations from a young age due to participation in football. The objective of this study was to quantify total involvement in high-magnitude impacts among individual players in youth football practices. The authors explored the relationship between the total number of high-magnitude accelerations in which players were involved (experienced either by themselves or by other players) during practices and the number of high-magnitude accelerations players experienced.METHODSA local cohort of 94 youth football players (mean age 11.9 ± 1.5, mean body mass 50.3 ± 16.4 kg) from 4 different teams were recruited and outfitted with helmet-mounted accelerometer arrays. The teams were followed for one season each for a total of 128 sessions (practices, games, and scrimmages). All players involved in high-magnitude (greater than 40g) head accelerations were subsequently identified through analysis of practice film.RESULTSPlayers who experienced more high-magnitude accelerations were more likely to be involved in impacts associated with high-magnitude accelerations in other players. A small subset of 6 players (6%) were collectively involved in 230 (53%) high-magnitude impacts during practice, were involved in but did not experience a high-magnitude acceleration 78 times (21% of the 370 one-sided high-magnitude impacts), and experienced 152 (30%) of the 502 high-magnitude accelerations measured. Quarterbacks/running backs/linebackers were involved in the greatest number of high-magnitude impacts in practice and experienced the greatest number of high-magnitude accelerations. Which team a player was on was an important factor, as one team showed much greater head impact exposure than all others.CONCLUSIONSThis study showed that targeting the most impact-prone players for individualized interventions could reduce high-magnitude acceleration exposure for entire teams. These data will help to further quantify elevated head acceleration exposure and enable data-driven interventions that modify exposure for individual players and entire teams.

scholarly journals A Qualitative Study of Youth Football Coaches’ Perception of Concussion Safety in American Youth Football and Their Experiences With Implementing Tackling Interventions

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Kelly Sarmiento ◽  
Dana Waltzman ◽  
Kelley Borradaile ◽  
Andrew Hurwitz ◽  
Kara Conroy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Head Injuries ◽  
Young Age ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Head Impacts ◽  
Football Coaches ◽  
Youth Athletes ◽  
Risks And Benefits ◽  
Youth Football ◽  
Tackle Football

Due in part to concern about the potential long-term effects of concussion and repetitive head injuries in football, some programs have implemented tackling interventions. This paper explores youth football coaches’ perception of football safety and their experiences implementing these interventions aimed at athlete safety. Using a qualitative approach, coaches were interviewed by means of a semi-structured protocol that covered: (a) demographics; (b) background and experiences with contact sports; (c) perceived concussion risks and benefits of youth football; (d) experiences with tackling technique; (e) experiences with mouth guard sensors; and (f) personal sources of training related to football safety. Most coaches felt that learning tackling at a young age helped prepare them for their playing later in life and believed that youth should begin playing tackle football at a young age. Coaches were mixed regarding their concerns about the risk for concussion and subconcussive head impacts. Still, most were receptive to changes in rules and policies aimed at making football safer. Findings from this study demonstrate that youth football coaches are important stakeholders to consider when implementing changes to youth football. Understanding coach perceptions and experiences may inform future efforts aimed to educate coaches on rules and policies to make the game safer for youth athletes.

scholarly journals Long-Term Overconsumption of Sugar Starting at Adolescence Produces Persistent Hyperactivity and Neurocognitive Deficits in Adulthood

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate Beecher ◽  
Ignatius Alvarez Cooper ◽  
Joshua Wang ◽  
Shaun B. Walters ◽  
Fatemeh Chehrehasa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dietary Habits ◽  
Hippocampal Neurogenesis ◽  
Neurocognitive Deficits ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Sugar Consumption ◽  
Food And Beverages ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Newborn Neurons ◽  
Dependent Learning

Sugar has become embedded in modern food and beverages. This has led to overconsumption of sugar in children, adolescents, and adults, with more than 60 countries consuming more than four times (>100 g/person/day) the WHO recommendations (25 g/person/day). Recent evidence suggests that obesity and impulsivity from poor dietary habits leads to further overconsumption of processed food and beverages. The long-term effects on cognitive processes and hyperactivity from sugar overconsumption, beginning at adolescence are not known. Using a well-validated mouse model of sugar consumption, we found that long-term sugar consumption, at a level that significantly augments weight gain, elicits an abnormal hyperlocomotor response to novelty and alters both episodic and spatial memory. Our results are similar to those reported in attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders. The deficits in hippocampal-dependent learning and memory were accompanied by altered hippocampal neurogenesis, with an overall decrease in the proliferation and differentiation of newborn neurons within the dentate gyrus. This suggests that long-term overconsumption of sugar, as that which occurs in the Western Diet might contribute to an increased risk of developing persistent hyperactivity and neurocognitive deficits in adulthood.

Concussion and sports-related head injury

2019 ◽  
pp. 531-536
Author(s):  
Mark Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
Head Injury ◽  
Mild Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Return To Sport ◽  
Mild Head Injury ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Dementia Pugilistica ◽  
Repeated Injury

Interest in concussion and sports-related injury has intensified in recent years for three main reasons: (1) it is a preventable form of brain injury; (2) there is increasing evidence that repeated injury can result in long-term neurocognitive loss; and (3) as a result there are potential medicolegal costs to organizations that, possibly inadvertently, allow this form of brain injury to occur within their sport. The long-term effects of boxing resulting in dementia pugilistica have been appreciated for some time, however the results of repeated mild head injury in other sports is now under focus. Concussion, increasingly termed mild traumatic brain injury, should be graded. Imaging, removal from, and return to sport are all discussed in this chapter.

Protective Capabilities of a Watersports Helmet for Boom-to-Head Impacts During Sailing

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lenka L. Stepan ◽  
Irving S. Scher ◽  
Reed Thomas
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Head Injury ◽  
Angular Velocity ◽  
The United States ◽  
Testing Device ◽  
Laboratory Setting ◽  
Head Impacts ◽  
Hybrid Iii ◽  
Angular Velocities ◽  
Highly Correlated

In sailing, the boom comes across the boat during tacks and jibes and has potential to impact a participant’s head and cause injury. To our knowledge, there are no sailing specific helmets on the market in the United States. To determine the effectiveness of a wakeboarding helmet to mitigate the risk of head injury, we measured the boom angular velocity on a 24-foot keel sailboat during controlled jibes. The boom motion was recreated in a laboratory setting and positioned to contact the occiput of the instrumented head of a Hybrid III 50th percentile male anthropometric testing device (ATD). Tests were conducted with an unhelmeted ATD and with an ATD wearing a wakeboarding helmet. Boom angular velocities and head accelerations for unhelmeted impacts were highly correlated (R2 = 0.996). The watersports helmet reduced head accelerations by 52 ± 4% when compared to accelerations from unhelmeted impacts.

scholarly journals Prevalence of Concussion in Quidditch

Neurology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 93 (14 Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. S21.1-S21
Author(s):  
Michael Pepper ◽  
Jeff Wayland ◽  
Adam Elwood ◽  
Spencer Walser ◽  
Vi Tran ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Head Injury ◽  
Health Effects ◽  
Head Injuries ◽  
Return To Play ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Basic Care ◽  
Significant Burden ◽  
Traditional Sports ◽  
Repetitive Injury

ObjectiveThe aim of our study is to assess the rate of concussion occurring while engaging in nontraditional sports such as Quidditch, and the effects that injury during a novelty sport may have on concussion detection when compared to more traditional sports.BackgroundConcussions, once dismissed as nonconsequential, are rapidly attracting notice for acute and long-term health effects. Rates of recovery with repeated trauma is known to decrease with each occurrence. In novelty sports, regulation of concussions and proper return-to-play(RTP) protocol are not routinely enforced, resulting in repetitive injury to the detriment of players.Design/MethodsIRB approval was obtained prior to survey distribution to all players associated with Major League Quidditch (MLQ). Responses were recorded and analyzed.Results157 responses were received. 63% were male and 37% female with mean age 22.9. 146 (93%) respondents confirmed or denied quidditch-related head injury. 22 (15%) denied head injury and 124 (85%) indicated hitting their heads while participating in the sport. 19% of respondents indicated >10 head injuries. 67 (54%) reported suspected concussion with an additional 41 (33%) reporting formal diagnosis with at least one concussion. EMS reported 18 injuries at MLQ matches. 5 (27.8%) were preliminarily diagnosed with concussion. 3 had no further treatment, 1 RTP and 1 received basic care. 0 recieved formal neurologic evaluation. Players were also asked about head injuries sustained in non-quidditch activities for comparison. 43 (27%) reported having medically diagnosed concussions outside of quidditch. 53 (34%) reported at least one suspected concussion without formal diagnosis. 24 (15%) answered maybe.ConclusionsOur data supports that concussion is a significant burden in novelty sports such as quidditch. It is vital to recognize that with the rise of nontraditional sports, the prevalence of concussions in younger nontraditional athletes may be underreported and that concussion specialists must be cognizant of both traditional and novelty sports when evaluating long term effects of head trauma.

Sedation practices in pediatric ALL patients.

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e21500-e21500
Author(s):  
Bethany D. Nugent ◽  
Peter J. Davis ◽  
Robert Noll ◽  
Jean M. Tersak
Keyword(s):  
Pediatric Patients ◽  
Lymphoblastic Leukemia ◽  
Cancer Control ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Neurocognitive Deficits ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Pediatric All ◽  
Behavior Learning ◽  
Repeated Doses

e21500 Background: The 5-year survival rate for pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is greater than 90%. A common late effect of pediatric ALL is neurocognitive deficits, such as lower IQ. In recent years, the use of sedation during lumbar punctures (LPs) for treatment of pediatric ALL is becoming increasingly widespread. These patients are exposed to repeated doses of sedatives. Among the most common Children’s Oncology Group (COG) ALL protocols, approximately 30 LPs are performed over a period of 2-3 years. Studies in animals (both rodents and primates) have revealed that common sedation drugs cause harm to the developing brain and can negatively affect behavior, learning, and memory. Gaps in knowledge exist regarding their use in children, particularly with repeated exposures. For children with ALL, little is known about sedation practices such as how commonly sedation is used; what medications are most common; and who administers the medications. The purpose of this study is to summarize sedation practices at COG institutions for LPs related to treatment of pediatric ALL. Methods: All Responsible Investigators (RIs) of the Cancer Control Committee (a subcommittee of COG) were invited to complete an internet-based survey about sedation practices for ALL patients at their institution. Results: Surveys were sent out to 103 RIs with a 62.1% response rate ( N = 64). A combined 2018 new patients with ALL were seen each year ( M = 31.5, range = 3-110); of these patients, 95.7% received sedation for LPs. While there was considerable variability across institutions in medications used (general anesthesia, Propofol with opioid and/or Versed, Versed and opioid, other), the most common was Propofol alone ( n = 36, 56.3%). Anesthesiologists administered sedation at the majority of institutions ( n = 36, 56.3%) while trained sedationists, oncologists, and nurses administered sedation at other institutions. Conclusions: A substantial number of pediatric patients with ALL receive sedation for LPs. However, there is much variation in the types of medications administered and who is administering these medications. Better understanding of sedation practices in children with ALL may inform future research to investigate which methods of sedation are safest, with a particular emphasis on its long-term effects.

scholarly journals Long‐term effects of repetitive head impacts on gray matter cortical thickness

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (S6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bailee Brekke ◽  
Renee DeVivo ◽  
Ann C. McKee ◽  
Thor D. Stein ◽  
Yorghos Tripodis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cortical Thickness ◽  
Gray Matter ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Head Impacts ◽  
Repetitive Head Impacts
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