12
view . spring2017
UWINDSORPARTNERSWITH COMMUNITY ON CONCUSSIONBASELINE TESTING
Last fall, theUWindsor Sport-RelatedConcussion
Centre teamedupwith the SunParlour Female
HockeyAssociation tooffer baseline testing for girls
in its travel league and follow-up evaluations if a
concussionoccurs or is suspected.
About 100 girls, ranging in age from 11 to16 years
old, were eligible for the testing, conducted in theHuman
KineticsBuilding inOctober.
“Therewere several components to the baseline
assessment,” says psychologyprofessorDr. JoeCasey.
“The players provideduswith some basic background
information, such as their height, weight, age, gender, and
the positionof the sport theyplay, toname a few.
“They then completed a questionnaire that comprises
a list of symptoms commonly associatedwith concussion.
This tells us the extent towhich they are experiencing
these symptoms prior to injury, such as headaches, fatigue,
anddifficultywith concentration. Some of the players,
especially the younger ones, received assistance from a
parent to complete this section.”
This is followedby a computerized test
thatmeasured several cognitive abilities that
are oftendisruptedby a concussion. The final
portionof the assessment is a balance test;
playerswere asked to standon a force plate
thatmeasures their natural sway.
If aplayerwas suspectedof a concussion,
her parent(s) contacted the concussion
centre for a post-injury evaluation, which
included an interview focusingon the injury
and a repeat of the assessment procedures
completed at baseline.
“The baseline data tells uswhere
any given individual shouldbewithout
concussion,”Casey said. “For example, we
can test someonewhohas suffered a blow
to the head andfind themwithin the normal
rangewhen compared to their age group. But,
if we know that theypreviously tested above
average, then theremight be a problem.”
The Sport-RelatedConcussion
Centrewas launched in 2013 toprovide
programmaticbaseline assessments andpost-
injury follow-up toLancer varsity athletes.
With special interests inpediatric neuropsychology,
Casey’s aimwas to extend itswork to the community. The
SunParlour Association jump-started the second launch.
The concussion centre is a collaborative effort
byCasey, his psychologydepartment colleague
ChrisAbeare—bothof whom are certified clinical
neuropsychologists—kinesiologyprofessorNadia
Azar, whobrings expertise inobjective balance testing,
and several graduate studentswho gainedpracticum
experience in clinical neuropsychology and athletic
therapistDave Stoute.
Extending its operations to a groupof children and
youthwill bring expertise to anunderservedpopulation,
saysCasey. “We don’t knownearly enough about the
assessment,management, and long-termoutcome
pediatric concussion. This is going to give us the
opportunity to study this on a large scale,” he says.
“This isn’t amatter of just offering a clinical service,
but of promoting a research culture in the community.”
Athletes andparents complete the online portionof their baseline testing, inahuman kinetics classroom.
