Litigation

NFL provides grants to study concussion testing

By Michael Kaplen

The National Football League has announced a grant of $100,000 grant to the UPMC Sports Medicine concussion program and East Tennessee State University to study concussions in youth football players ages 8-12. 

A total of $1.6 million in grants is going to 16 different research or medical organizations, with $988,224 heading for the study of concussions.

 UPMC will partner with East Tennessee State to study the neurocognitive effects of youth-football concussions using the pediatric Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing, or ImPACT.  This test is a base line neuropsychological evaluation that is performed at the beginning of the season.  Following a concussion, a player is retested to determine if and when he or she returns to base line and is cleared to return to play.

This testing should be peformed by all schools on all participants in youth sports.  The testing should be made mandatory in all school districts and State's should mandate that the cost of this testing be covered by all health insurance policies as preventive medical care.

Full post as published by Brain Injury News and Information on December 22, 2010 (boomark / email).