Headpulse Biometric Measures Following Concussion in Young Adult Athletes

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Biomedical Engineering
• Neurology

Background:

• Concussions are prevalent in sports, necessitating improved objective assessment methods.
• Current return-to-play (RTP) protocols often rely on subjective symptom reporting.
• Objective biometrics offer a potential enhancement to concussion management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize temporal changes in headpulse, a novel digital biometric, following sports-related concussion.
• To investigate the association between physical activity and headpulse alterations in concussed athletes.

Main Methods:

• A cohort study involving amateur Australian Rules Football players.
• Cranial accelerometry was used to measure headpulse (head micromovements post-cardiac contraction).
• Feasibility and validation phases were conducted, with serial headpulse recordings for up to 1 month post-injury.

Main Results:

• Headpulse reached an abnormality threshold in 81% of concussed individuals, with alterations persisting for 14 days post-symptom resolution.
• Headpulse changes were exacerbated by return-to-play activities or unsupervised physical exertion.
• The study included 101 athletes, with headpulse data analyzed from 44 sports-related concussions.

Conclusions:

• The digital headpulse biometric demonstrates objective changes following concussion in athletes.
• Headpulse alterations may provide valuable data to complement existing return-to-play protocols.
• This novel biometric could enhance the objective assessment of concussion recovery.