It’s no secret that concussions are a massive issue in the American football world, and have been for a while. The majority of football players have been subjected to such egregious amounts of head trauma that they will likely never fully recover from the damage inflicted on their brains. Actions such as the creation of a safer helmet are being taken to mitigate the damage done when humans repeatedly hit their head, but little has truly been done to help those dedicated to football. And how much can realistically be done to help these athletes if they don’t know when they might have a concussion in the first place?
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It can be hard to believe that concussions cause so much damage yet are so hard to detect, but that’s exactly the case — and it’s a fact that has worsened the state of many football players’ brains. However, it’s a fact that is also now being addressed: as part of the NCAA’s Mind Matters Challenge (a project with the US Department of Defense better concussion education for athletes and soldiers), a team from the University of Arizona has created an app that simulates concussion symptoms, allowing athletes to observe what actually happens to their heads after enough hits.
Dubbed BrainGainz, the app is used by first placing a smartphone into Google Cardboard, which is a virtual-reality headset. The athlete using the app is then [virtually] transported to Arizona Stadium, where they go through a series of game-style plays, and are repeatedly asked whether they would like to give their head and body time to recover, or stay in the game. The longer the athlete stays in the game without allowing time for recovery, the more damage is inflicted to their brain, as BrainGainz begins to show the athlete how they should be feeling if they actually do have a concussion.
.@UofA linebacker @DoctorSweetz51 tries out #BrainGainz, a VR app to educate athletes on #concussion. pic.twitter.com/gOEppVVS8U
— UA Research (@ArizonaResearch) January 28, 2016
BrainGainz could prove to be key in the crusade to limit damage done to football players’ brains, as it will allow them to acknowledge — in real life — at what point they are putting themselves in true mental and physical danger.
While BrainGainz is in part developed by two collegiate athletes (University of Arizona linebackers Jason Sweet and Scooby Wright), the app’s universal accessibility will allow it to impact football players of all ages. High school coaches will have the opportunity to make daily BrainGainz use a requirement for teenagers who wish to remain on the team.
Pros, with significantly more independence, will also be able to take advantage of the app, knowing that it could ultimately save their life some day. But no matter who uses it, BrainGainz is a resounding victory for those who want to continue participating in football while limiting the long-term damage done to their brains.