Oct 2, 2024New technology aids athletic trainers in monitoring concussions
A new technology is helping high school athletic trainers in Minnesota monitor concussions.
Sway utilizes smartphones to establish an athlete’s baselines before the season, which trainer Jonathan Murillo said is used to compare their condition and progress after suspected concussions.
A recent story from The Mankato Free Press detailed the new technology helping athletic trainers monitor concussions. Below is an excerpt from The Mankato Free Press story.
Athletic trainers can clear athletes to return to play once they’re free of concussion symptoms and go through a series of steps in a return-to-play protocol. The Minnesota State High School League has protocols defining the process, requiring the resolution of all symptoms and completion of exercise processes. Generally, the protocol calls for a “when in doubt, sit them out” approach, according to the high school league’s recommendations for athletes.
Symptoms of a concussion range from a headache to dizziness to sensitivity to light. An athlete may self-report them, or a coach or teammate could notice them.
Properly diagnosing, treating and managing concussions helps prevent lifelong impacts on young athletes, said Dr. Thomas Finn, a sports medicine physician at Mankato Clinic who uses Sway in his practice, in a release on the new technology.
“We create a personalized recovery plan and educate athletes and parents on how to safely return to learn and play,” he stated.
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To establish an athlete’s baseline using Sway, they answer a series of questions before the season, Murillo said. They also go through different stances and test their reaction times.
These results provide objective measurements in an athlete-specific report. Symptoms and results collected after a suspected concussion can be compared to the initial report.
To read the full story from The Mankato Free Press, click here.
