Linear and Angular Head Acceleration Measurement Collection in Pediatric Football

Mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs) from participation in sports and recreation activities have received increased public awareness, with many states and the federal government considering or implementing laws directing the response to suspected brain injury [1]. MTBIs may result from an impact or acceleration/deceleration of the head and leading to a brief alteration of mental status. Compared with adults, younger persons are at an increased risk for mTBIs with increased severity and prolonged recovery [2]. Football is one of the leading activities that individuals under the age of 19 will experience a mTBI during [3]. Therefore, football players are ideal candidates for monitoring head impact biomechanics and relating measurements to physiological alterations [4]. Little work has been performed investigating mTBIs in the youth population, thus little is known about the biomechanics involved with such injuries. The goal of this study is to characterize the head impact response in a youth population by instrumenting players on a youth football team.