Citation

Eckner JT, Sabin MJ, Kutcher JS, Broglio SP. J. Neurotrauma 2011; 28(10): 2079-2090.

Affiliation

University of Michigan, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, 325 E. Eisenhower Pkwy, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States, 48108, 734-647-6954, 734-615-6713; jeckner@med.umich.edu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Mary Ann Liebert Publishers)

DOI

10.1089/neu.2011.1910

PMID

21815783

Abstract

Recent studies using a helmet-based accelerometer system (Head Impact Telemetry System, HITS) have demonstrated that concussions result from a wide range of head impact magnitudes. Variability in concussion thresholds has been proposed to result from the cumulative effect of non-concussive head impacts prior to injury. We used the HIT System to collect biomechanical data representing over 100,000 head impacts in 95 high school football players over 4 years. The cumulative impact histories prior to 20 concussive impacts in 19 athletes were compared to the cumulative impact histories prior to the 3 largest magnitude non-concussive head impacts in the same athletes. No differences were present in any impact history variable between the concussive and non-concussive high magnitude impacts. These analyses included the number of head impacts, cumulative HIT severity profile value, cumulative linear acceleration, and cumulative rotational acceleration during the same practice or game session, as well as over the 30 minutes and 1 week preceding these impacts. Our data do not support the proposal that impact volume or intensity influence concussion threshold in high school football athletes.

Keywords: American football;

Language: en