New method to diagnose concussions could lead to breakthrough in the NHL
Concussions have long been an issue in the NHL, but there's a new test that could help protect players and diagnose the head injuries properly.
We've seen a lot of holes in how the National Hockey League is able to diagnose and treat concussions in recent years, especially because players either don't know or don't want to disclose when they don't feel right, but a major breakthrough could be right around the corner.
According to Fluto Shinzawa of The Athletic, the breakthrough could come in the form of an FDA approved blood test that could get rid of the «gray areas» around concussions as a whole.
As The Athletic has pointed out, there have been plenty of holes in the current process to spot and diagnose concussions like when Brad Marchand had a concussion in the series against the Florida Panthers in the playoffs this year and he still played 15 more shifts.
These are subjective observations and symptoms. Furthermore, the protocol acknowledges such symptoms are not necessarily unique to concussions.
As for the evaluation, part of the process is for the player to complete the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool � 5th Edition (SCAT5). Components include recalling the date, repeating a five- or 10-word series and reciting the months in reverse order. It is a comprehensive test.
The blood test would eliminate the guessing game when it came to head injuries.
If the NHL decided to adopt these kinds of tests for concussions, it could not only lead to detection right after a concussion is sustained but possibly help prevent further damage in game like we see currently.
Source - The Athletic
Could an FDA-approved blood test help NHL close gray areas in its concussion protocol?
| POLL | ||
Do you think the NHL should adopt this blood test? | ||
| Yes | 32 | 84.2 % |
| No | 6 | 15.8 % |
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