App of the Week: Two Concussion Tools: 04/24/2012

At one point in life most of us have had a concussion but did not know it. The first app that is featured is a training / education tool and not really an app for diagnosis. This app is great for students, athletes, parents, and coaches, and is free. This could also be a great tool for athletic trainers to use to educate concussed athletes that are under their care.

What the developer has to say:

The ImPACT Concussion Awareness Tool (ImCAT) was developed to educate athletes, parents, and coaches about concussions and the typical signs and symptoms of a concussion. This easy to use application will help individuals who are involved in sports to recognize the common signs and symptoms of injury.

This free application consists of educational material regarding the prevention of concussion and mild traumatic brain injury, and a brief quiz designed to teach athletes, parents and others about the injury and to correct some of the misconceptions about the injury. The application also provides a checklist of common signs and symptoms of concussion. This checklist is included as an educational tool to help non-health care professionals recognize when an athlete may have been injured. The application gathers and records basic information about the injury and can be emailed directly from the Android device.

This application is optimized for both phones and tablets.

This app can be found at Google Play and the iTunes App Store

Our second app might be better off suited for certified athletic trainers, coaches, athletic training students, and anyone else in the sports medicine field that will be best served by having a concussion diagnosing tool on the field. The app is $9.99 at Google Play and at the iTunes App Store. 

What the developer says about their app:

The Concussion Assessment and Response: Sport Version app, or CARE, is a new tool that helps medical professionals and athletic trainers assess the likeliness of a concussion and respond quickly and appropriately to this potentially serious medical situation. The CARE provides instruction during the assessment of an injury; it also provides tools that can help document the injury as well as recovery. All the recorded assessment information can be shared via email with other doctors or other medical professionals. The CARE allows users to test an athlete’s readiness to return to play via a step-by-step testing regimen. This tool is an invaluable way to assess possible concussions and respond appropriately.

FEATURES:

Injury Assessment and CPR Cues
Balance Evaluation Scoring System (BESS)
Standardized Assessment of Concussion (SAC)
Graded Symptom Checklist (GSC)
Return-to-Play Guide
Concussion General Information (FAQs)
ACE Post-Concussion Home/School Instructions

HOW IT WORKS:

Injury Assessment

From the instant the player is injured, the user can select “New Injury” to be guided through a series of questions that will determine the appropriate response. If the athlete is not breathing or lacks a pulse, the app will provide counting and illustration for chest compressions and breathing support. The CARE will also assist the user in assessing other serious signs of injury including cervical spine injury, cranial nerve trauma, and a concussion.

Balance Evaluation Scoring System (BESS)

The Balance Evaluation Scoring System is an assessment that evaluates an athlete’s ability to maintain a stance without errors. The CARE provides instructions and illustrations that guide users through the three stances in a BESS assessment: single leg, double leg, and tandem. The user records the number of errors made and compares that result to the results of other BESS assessments the athlete has been given.

Standardized Assessment of Concussion (SAC)

The Sideline Assessment of Concussion is provided in electronic format and can be recorded for baseline, injury, post-game, or recovery. The questions in the SAC cover orientation, extended memory, concentration, and delayed recall. The SAC also records the presence or loss of sensation, strength, and coordination in the athlete.

Graded Symptom Checklist (GSC)

This tool enables users to track the severity of symptoms for each athlete during the recovery process. Users first select the nature of the assessment by choosing baseline, injury, post-game, or recovery; then they rate the severity of each symptom on a scale from 0 (no symptoms) to 6 (severe). This feature enables users to quantify a patient’s progress during recovery from a concussion.

Return-to-Play Guide

This part of the app helps to protect children and athletes from further injury by guiding them through a daily exercise routine that tests their ability to return to play. Through a five-day, tiered workout routine, parents can ensure that their child is able to handle the added exercise without further injury or discomfort.

Concussion General Information

The app’s concussion information helps ensure that medical professionals are provided a comprehensive understanding of concussions as well as the assessments they will be administering via the CARE. All concussion information in this section has been provided by Gerard A. Gioia, PhD and Jason Mihalik, PhD, concussion specialists from the Children’s National Medical Center and the Matthew A. Gfeller Sport-Related Traumatic Brain Injury Research Center.

Acute Concussion Evaluation (ACE) Post-Concussion Home/School Instructions

Included with the app is a concussion overview page that users can share with other coaches, parents, or athletes. This overview is an excellent way to share important information about how to recognize and respond to concussions.

Note: 15% of all proceeds from the sale of this app will be donated to support concussion research 

This app can be found at Google Play and at the iTunes App Store