Quick, Simple Test Can Detect Concussion in Athletes
SATURDAY, Feb. 12 (HealthDay News) — A quick, simple test done
on the sidelines of sports events can accurately detect concussion in
athletes, a new study says.
The screening — known as the King-Devick test — is superior to
current sideline tests that can fail to assess a wide range of brain
functions, according to the researchers at the University of Pennsylvania
School of Medicine.
For this test, athletes are asked to read single digit numbers on
index-sized cards. Normally, it takes about one minute. Any increase in
the time needed to complete the test suggests the athlete has suffered a
concussion, particularly if the delay is more than five seconds longer
than the athlete’s baseline test time.
The researchers said the test can detect impairments in eye movement,
attention, language and other symptoms of concussion. This study of 39
boxers found that test times improved an average of one second for those
who didn’t experience head trauma, but worsened 11.1 seconds for those who
did suffer head trauma and 18 seconds for those who were knocked out.
The study appears online in the journal Neurology.
“This rapid screening test provides an effective way to detect early
signs of concussion, which can improve outcomes and hopefully prevent
repetitive concussions,” senior author Dr. Laura Balcer, a professor of
neurology, ophthalmology and epidemiology, said in a university news
release.
“If validated in future studies, this test has the potential to become
a standard sideline test for athletes,” she added.
More information
The American Academy of Family Physicians has more about concussion in sports.