WHY YOU SHOULD MEASURE

In everyday use, every athlete, coach, trainer and parent can use ACT Head Impact Tracker to:

  1. Track the impacts occurring. High numerical values indicate more violent impacts. When an impact occurs, we recommend using Concussion Recognition Tool 5®, or other such applicable sideline assessment tool. There is no clear consensus of a clear-cut danger limit as expressed in g-force. In many studies, acceleration/deceleration under 40g have been considered likely not to cause permanent damage, but it can be extrapolated that the probability of permanent damage starts to increase in impacts within the range of 40-60g and higher. More information to support your decision making can be found in a little summary we named “Some reading we suggest” with a list of reference research and articles.
  2. Keep an eye on the impact history. When did the previous impact occur? How many and what kind of impacts occurred in last days / weeks / months / season / year?
  3. Track down the athlete/-s getting more impacts than their peers, address the issue and reduce the impact load of the individual athlete/-s.
  4. Identify the trainings and drills with most head impacts, modify them or lower their frequency in the training plan to decrease the impact load of all the athletes.
  5. Identify the positions more prone to head impacts, keep an eye on the players in those positions and modify the training plans to reduce the impact load of the athletes in those positions.
  6. Trained eye of a coach may detect poor techniques in heading and receiving a tackle for example from the graphical illustrations on the forces.
  7. Demonstrating how hard the impacts are with objective measures, can create awareness on the issue, contribute to a good sportsmanship and increase mutual respect of players and athletes.
  8. Demonstrating objectively that impacts are occurring should encourage coaches, trainers and team personnel to introduce and apply suitable sideline procedures.
  9. Share with those who care and can help to reduce your impact load. Users can share their impact data with those who should know too. These can be for example coaches, trainers, parents and co-athletes.
  10. Lead the way. Teams and clubs tracking the head impacts truly aim to do everything they can to monitor athletes on the pitch.

ACT Head Impact Tracker measures head impacts by maximum linear acceleration and deceleration detected, communicated with g-force. We believe that today there is not sufficient medical research to reliably, simply and safely classify the individual impacts to “small-medium-hard” or “green-yellow-red” on the basis of g-force. In the absence of proven, reliable, scientific results ACT Head Impact Tracker is not telling you “when the impact is too hard, or when it is not”, nor will it tell you “when you have to seek medical help, or when not”. There simply is no safe way for a head impact measuring device way to do so. Not yet. That’s why more data and research is needed.

One rule of thumb applies though: the more violent the impact, the bigger the impact forces and the chance for the damage to occur. 

WARNING!
ACT Head Impact Tracker is not a medical device and it is not intended for diagnosis or treatment evaluation of traumatic brain injury. ACT Head Impact Tracker is not a protective device, it does not prevent incidents from happening and it does not protect against injuries or any kind. In case of a head impact, or when suspecting one or a concussion, immediately and safely leave the activity and seek help from licensed medical professional. It is advisable to have an accompanying person if concussion is possible.