Youth Soccer Players to Receive Baseline Testing for Concussions on Saturday
The
Banner
Concussion
Center
is
conducting
leading-edge
baseline
testing
on
18
girl
soccer
players
this
Saturday
morning
in
advance
of
the
September
start
of
the
2013-14
youth
season.
The
tests
will
guide
medical
professionals
in
future
evaluations
and
assist
them
in
making
Return
to
Play
(RTP)
decisions
for
Arizona
Youth
Soccer
Association
players
should
they
sustain
a
head
injury.
In
addition,
the
event
will
bring
awareness
of
the
importance
of
preventing
concussions
in
youth
sports.
The
Banner
Concussion
Center,
which
opened
in
April
2013,
recently
formed
a
partnership
with
The
CACTIS
Foundation
("CACTIS")
to
provide
optometry
and
audiology
services,
expanding
the
center's
multidisciplinary
capabilities,
which
are
among
the
most
advanced
and
comprehensive
in
the
country.
Patients
receive
integrated
evaluations
and
therapy
for
concussion-related
oculomotor
(vision)
and
vestibular
problems
at
the
Banner
Concussion
Center
rather
than
having
to
visit
multiple
health
care
facilities
and
offices.
In
addition,
the
Banner
Concussion
Center
and
Arizona
Youth
Soccer
Association
have
formed
a
partnership
to
educate
athletes
and
their
parents
about
concussion
prevention.
The
Banner
Concussion
Center
and
the
soccer
association
are
developing
comprehensive
policies
to
ensure
the
young
athletes'
safety
and
provide
guidance
on
appropriate
return
to
activities
after
a
head
injury.
On
Saturday,
Phoenix
Rush
Soccer
Club
players
(6th
graders)
from
north
Phoenix
and
Scottsdale
will
undergo:
- Immediate
Post-‐Concussion
Assessment
Testing
(ImPACT®) - A
computerized
neurocognitive
assessment
about
the
athlete's
normal
function
that
measures
attention,
memory,
reaction
time
and
information
processing
speed.
- Banner
Concussion
Center
Neurovestibular
Functional
Balance
Test - A
computerized
forceplate
that
measures
the
athlete's
balance
under
a
variety
of
conditions
challenging
specific
balance
systems
in
the
body.
- Vision
Motor
Enhancement
Training
(VMET)
–
A
visual
screen
displaying
sports
activities
that
measures
coordination
and
eye
movement.
- Vision
Screening
Exam
and
Visual
Integration
Testing
WHAT: 18
girl
soccer
players
to
undergo
baseline
concussion
testing
before
season
begins
WHEN: 11
a.m.
to
noon
on
Saturday,
August
17
WHERE: Banner
Concussion
Center,
1320
N.
10th
Street,
Suite
B,
in
Phoenix
(South
of
McDowell
Road
and
east
of
7th
Street)
VISUAL
ELEMENTS,
INTERVIEWS: The
soccer
players
will
be
in
uniform.
Cameras
are
welcome
during
the
testing.
Parents
and
Banner
Concussion
Center
staff
will
be
on
hand.
Dr.
Steven
M.
Erickson,
the
medical
director
of
the
Banner
Concussion
Center;
Dr.
Hirsch
Handmaker,
chairman
of
The
CACTIS
Foundation;
and
Shelly
Massingale,
director
of
the
Banner
Concussion
Center;
will
be
available
for
interviews.
Prior
to
Saturday,
soccer
players
and
representatives
of
the
Banner
Concussion
Center,
The
CACTIS
Foundation
and
Arizona
Youth
Soccer
Association
are
available
for
interviews.
"Conducting
pre-season
baseline
testing
while
athletes
are
healthy
is
incredibly
important
to
help
health
care
professionals
provide
the
best
possible
assessment
when
a
concussion
is
suspected,"
said
Dr.
Hirsch
Handmaker,
chairman
of
CACTIS
Foundation.
"We
recommend
all
athletes
take
the
short
time
out
of
their
pre-season
training
schedule
to
participate
in
this
important
process."
"Educating
parents,
coaches
and
athletes
to
recognize
the
signs
of
concussions
and
the
appropriate
steps
that
health
care
providers
should
take
in
the
prevention,
diagnosis
and
management
of
concussions
is
one
of
the
most
important
issues
in
sports
medicine
today,"
said
Dr.
Steven
M.
Erickson,
the
medical
director
of
the
Banner
Concussion
Center
and
board
certified
Sports
Medicine
Specialist.
Banner
Concussion
Center
approach
The
Banner
Concussion
Center's
comprehensive
approach
to
concussion
care
includes
its
concussion
awareness
and
education
program
as
well
as
balance,
cognitive
and
vision
testing.
The
clinical
team
is
made
up
of
specialists
experienced
in
the
diagnosis
and
management
of
concussion,
including
a
readily
accessible
panel
of
subspecialists
with
experience
in
caring
for
patients
with
post-concussion
syndrome
and
other
concussion
complications.
In
addition,
a
multidisciplinary
research
team
collaborates
to
investigate
all
facets
of
mild
Traumatic
Brain
Injury
(mTBI),
commonly
known
as
concussions.
Learn
more
about
the
Banner
Concussion
Center.
To
make
an
appointment
for
baseline
testing
call
(602)
839-7285.
About
CACTIS
The
Central
Arizona
Center
for
Therapeutic
and
Imaging
Services
Foundation
("CACTIS"),
a
501(c)3
organization,
is
a
community-based
institution
focused
on
advancing
the
diagnosis,
treatment
and
prevention
of
disease.
It
supports
research-oriented
preclinical
and
early
phase
clinical
trials,
Continuing
Medical
Education
(CME)
and
other
programs
for
patients
and
healthcare
professionals.
CACTIS
is
currently
developing
programs
in
the
fields
of
oncology,
molecular
imaging,
orthopaedics,
sports
medicine
and
concussions,
with
significant
attention
to
addressing
the
healthcare
delivery
disparities
of
underserved
communities.
For
more
information,
visit
www.cactis.org or
contact
us
at
(866)
882-4484
or info@cactisfoundation.org.
ABOUT
ARIZONA
YOUTH
SOCCER
ASSOCIATION:
Arizona
Youth
Soccer
Association
(AYSA)
is
a
501c(3)
non-profit
association.
AYSA
is
the
official
youth
soccer
association
of
the
United
States
Soccer
Federation
and
United
States
Youth
Soccer.
AYSA
represents
78
Member
Leagues
and
Clubs
comprising
membership
of
more
than
36,900
registered
players,
coaches,
referees
and
league
administrators.
Servicing
the
entire
state,
AYSA
provides
rewarding
recreational
and
competitive
opportunities
for
Players
of
all
ages,
genders
and
skill
levels.
For
more
information,
please
visit:
www.azyouthsoccer.org
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