All About That Base What to expect in cognitive


testing for concussions BY MEGAN SCHNEIDER


Many high school and college lacrosse players undergo baseline evaluations. Your trained medical staff can assess you for risk factors including prior concussion history and evaluate baseline symptoms, cognitive function and balance.


SCAT-3


The internationally endorsed Sport Concussion Assessment Tool is used on the sideline after a concussion and is often part of baseline tests. It grades symptoms, assesses cognitive function and balance, and neurologically


screens for cervical spine and brain injury.


great in the lab, but it would be like wearing a brick on your head,” Moore said.


The equipment then undergoes field testing. The LX was tested by more than 700 girls and women ages 6 to 23 over the course of three years. Newman spent more than four years working on the safety standards for the new equipment.


In the back half of the Cascade building, dozens of rows of large boxes tower over the production lines below. Drills dangle from the ceiling and mounted containers dispense sections of the Seven Technology like candy. Everything is stored in precise locations based on importance. White visors are kept closer than navy because they rank first and third, respectively, in popularity. The lines end with a dedicated quality checker. If the worker sees something amiss, he or she can pull the cord for a red light bulb above to illuminate, alerting a supervisor. The number of people in a line differs, but they hand each product off one-by-one with the goal of 45 seconds per person. Every worker checks the job of the one before, because they’re all cross-trained at every position. Above the end of each line hangs a red LED counter, totaling the number of finished products. Dry erase boards show the goal for each hour.


“Just keeping score just like a team,” Moore said. “We want to be efficient and these guys get it. They’re competitive from this line to that line. There’s a lot of trash talking going on and that’s the environment that we want.”


Cascade won’t say how many helmets it produces in a day, week, month or year. But every night, UPS drops off an empty trailer on the loading dock in the back of the production room while the old — hopefully full — one is hauled away.


Each order is received, produced and shipped out within 48 hours. Since its founding in 1986, Cascade has revolutionized the helmet


industry while grabbing a strong hold as the leader in headgear. Thirteen of the 18 teams in the NCAA tournament last season wore Cascade helmets, as well as 40 of the last 48 Division I champions. “If all of a sudden you took Cascade off the map, we don’t even know whether lacrosse would keep on being played next year,” said Ryan Demorest, brand manager. “We have that much of a responsibility to this sport.” USL


USlaxmagazine.com ImPACT


This computerized neuropsychological test evaluates symptoms, as well as cognitive function (visual memory, verbal memory,


reaction time and processing speed).


C3 Logix


This integrated concussion management tool combines technology with testing. Preseason assessments, incident reports, follow-up


assessments and return-to-play protocol live in one iPad, which is used as a data collection tool to objectively quantify postural stability and


capture an athlete’s movement.


According to Dr. Margot Putukian, a leading expert on concussions and chair of the US Lacrosse Sports Science and Safety Committee, it’s important to have good overall nutrition, get a good night’s sleep and avoid medications and other drugs before any form of baseline assessments. Much like academic testing, these factors will affect your performance.


CNS Vital Signs


These computerized neuropsychological tests evaluate your cognitive function (verbal memory, visual memory, finger tapping and rapid decision- making).


Cascade Lacrosse manufactures and tests all of its head protection products — including the new LX women's headgear, as shown on a head form — at its headquarters and warehouse in Liverpool, N.Y.


January 2017 US LACROSSE MAGAZINE 41


SPORT SCIENCE


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