Protection Against Potential Brain Injury During Competitive Football

Significant morbidity, mortality, and related costs are caused by traumatic brain injury (TBI). An externally-worn medical device that applies mild jugular compression according to the principle of the Queckenstedt Maneuver (the Device). Preliminary research suggests that the Device has the potential to reduce the likelihood of TBI. The currently developed collar has been approved for studies in humans and the results indicate safety for use during high demand and maximal exertion activities, This study will investigate the effectiveness of this device in high school athletes playing a collision sport such as football. The use of helmets during such a high-risk sport will allow for collision measurement devices to be embedded in the helmet and will not affect play or fit of equipment. Athletes participating in this study will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: 1) Device wearing during the season or 2) Non-device wearing during the season. The helmets of all participants will be outfitted with an accelerometer which will measure the magnitude of every impact to the head sustained by the athlete. Effectiveness of the device will be determined via differences in longitudinal brain imaging and functional testing following competitive football participation. A subset of athletes who report a diagnosed concussion will also receive additional brain neuroanatomical and neurophysiological testing within a week following the diagnosed concussive event. The purpose of the study is to monitor longitudinal changes in brain structure and function between the preseason and postseason, in a population of football playing athletes wearing the Device and compared to a similar population not wearing the device. Secondly, the purpose is to determine the protection of the device relative to amount and magnitude of sustained head impacts.