With the recent news that both Cade Foster and Anthony Steen suffered concussions during the Ole Miss game, I was wondering if UA Athletics department might have any special tools in their tool belt to diagnose and gauge recovery. Specifically tests that focus on healthy cognitive performance and a tracking over time to determine if the player is healthy enough to return after suffering trauma.
Link to concussion report on Cade and Anthony: http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/10/alabama_football_players_antho.html
I remember in the past couple years that there has been an increasing amount of focus given to player health regarding concussions. Besides just being the right thing to do, it might be a good tool for ensuring that nothing like that debacle at Texas Tech happens at Alabama. Further, it might even be a recruiting tool to help sway the mom's out there to ensure that their children are being looked after properly.
Not to mention that with the UA Athletics department Scrooge McDuckin' around in their oodles of cash, it shouldn't be terribly hard for UA to implement some sort of program around this new technology.
From the ImPACT website located at: http://impacttest.com/
Full disclosure, I am nor have I ever been involved with the medical industry nor have I ever undergone any of this type of testing. I just know that the bone jarring hits that are becoming more prevalent do scare me and for these young men to go out every day with the potential for harm, there seems to be some things that could at least help remove the potential for serious injury due to multiple concussions.
Link to concussion report on Cade and Anthony: http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/10/alabama_football_players_antho.html
I remember in the past couple years that there has been an increasing amount of focus given to player health regarding concussions. Besides just being the right thing to do, it might be a good tool for ensuring that nothing like that debacle at Texas Tech happens at Alabama. Further, it might even be a recruiting tool to help sway the mom's out there to ensure that their children are being looked after properly.
Not to mention that with the UA Athletics department Scrooge McDuckin' around in their oodles of cash, it shouldn't be terribly hard for UA to implement some sort of program around this new technology.
From the ImPACT website located at: http://impacttest.com/
More reading about concussion testing here: http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/story?id=99901&page=1ImPACT provides computerized neurocognitive assessment tools and services that are used by medical doctors, psychologists, athletic trainers, and other licensed healthcare professionals to assist them in determining an athlete's ability to return to play after suffering a concussion.
Full disclosure, I am nor have I ever been involved with the medical industry nor have I ever undergone any of this type of testing. I just know that the bone jarring hits that are becoming more prevalent do scare me and for these young men to go out every day with the potential for harm, there seems to be some things that could at least help remove the potential for serious injury due to multiple concussions.