LSU is a national leader in many different areas. We are all aware of how well respected the Tiger football team is. What you may not know is how this leading sports program is leading the way in helping medical researchers and equipment manufacturers protect student athletes from head injuries such as concussions.

Curtis Cruz is President of the Head Health Network and he recently told the Louisiana Radio Network how LSU's football program is on the cutting edge of new technology for reducing and treating head injuries suffered by athletes that participate in football.

The process for the study actually starts in the players helmets by monitoring the impacts that each player experiences over the course of a game and a season.

Monitor what’s going on, on the field and find better ways to coordinate practice or set up practice and how they do things and when they do them to make sure that player safety and performance are really being optimized.

This information is helping researchers understand the difference between big hits or the cumulative effect of multiple smaller blows.

They’re able to take the information that we provide them and then they are the ones that make the analysis and the judgements on what the best steps to take are. We just want to provide them with enough information to help them make good decisions.

When given the data and the interpretation of the data coaches and trainers can better evaluate the real health of all of their players.  This information could lead to changes in practice techniques, better equipment, and ultimately better health for the young men who play the violent game of football.

 

 

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