The University of Pennsylvania and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia are teaming up for a multi-year study on how sports-related concussions affect youth athletes, according to a report from The Philly Voice.
Here are five things to know:
1. The five-year study examines concussion assessment strategies to identify accurate detection and diagnosis of concussions as well as create better headgear for different sports. The study also aims to create guidelines for estimated recovery time and returning to play.
2. Research will include objective measures like balance and neurosensory processing as well as brain function in both male and female athletes between the ages of 14 to 18 years old. There will be parallel lab studies on pigs for a controlled comparison.
3. Young athletes participating in the study will wear impact sensors while in play to gather data. The metrics identified can help benchmark and understand subconcussive hits and potentially the impact of gender on symptoms.
4. The researchers also hope to examine the concussion risk level at various positions.
5. The National Institutes of Health provided $4.5 million in funding for the study.