Jolts, bumps and impacts on a head play a significant role in an athletes’ health, wellbeing and performance

Frequent jolts, bumps and impacts on a head occur in multiple sports, at all levels, and affect all genders and age groups. Make no mistake, they are not only a challenge for few sports like American football, boxing, ice-hockey and rugby. Sports like equestrian sports, soccer, cycling, skating, scooting, alpine sports, motor sports and many more are also very much affected. These jolts, bumps and impacts on the head cause it to move, which in turn makes the brain move, rotate or twist within the skull, causing shear forces and potentially damaging brain tissue. Gear like helmets and mouth guards do help but don't eliminate the problem as they are not placed between the brain and the skull. More action is needed.

Meet ACT Head Impact Tracker, measuring device for forces acting on a head while doing sports.

No medication. No cure. Prevention is the key.

Jolts, bumps and impacts on a head may cause Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
and contribute to variety of brain diseases.
There is frustratingly little modern medicine can do to them.
There is no medication, no cure. So things should not go that far.
Prevention is the key.
And it starts and is managed with data.

THAT’S WHY THE ACT HEAD IMPACT TRACKERWAS CREATED.

How to make sports safer and healthier for the brain?

By managing the following on all athletes across their whole athletic pathway:

1. Decrease the MAGNITUDE of impacts and forces acting on a head.
2. Decrease the FREQUENCY of impacts and forces acting on a head as well as reducing the possibility of another impact before recovering from the initial impact
3. Decrease the possibility of a SECONDARY IMPACT SYNDROME.

Using the Data from the ACT Head Impact Tracker will help you do it.

How does it work?

The ACT Head Impact Tracker is a simple, affordable, easy to use and versatile device, which can be used in virtually any sport – as long as it is done on dry land. You can use it to measure and track an individual athlete or a team of athletes; in sports where helmets are used and those where not; on professional, recreational and junior levels; on men and women, boys and girls and anything in between. This is how it works:

1. The Athlete wears the ACT Head Impact Tracker sensor attached to a headband, other type of a headwear, or helmet.
2. The ACT Head Impact Tracker smartphone App is on the sidelines or with a coach and listens to the sensors.
3. When an event with an impact or force of 10g or more acts on a head, the affected athlete’s head sensor starts sending             information to the App.
4. Once the information has been transferred from sensor to the App, it is forwarded to the cloud where it is converted to relevant data and added to the user's account and other accounts that have been granted access.
5. The event data appears in the athlete’s profile in the App(s) and in the Browser Access page. When the relevant data transfer technologies are active and available, this takes no more than few seconds.

How ACT can help

1. Coaching/training/team personnel
Complements the signs and symptoms evaluation on the sidelines.
LOWERING THE RISK OF SIS & OTHER CONSEQUENCES

2. Coaching
When, where, why, to whom, how hard and how often improving head safety in sport
HELPING DECREASE THE MAGNITUDE, NUMBER & FREQUENCY OF HEAD IMPACTS TO LOWER THE RISK OF POTENTIAL BRAIN DISEASE.

3. Players/Athletes/Riders
Improve their awareness and understanding of the consequences of head impacts and advocate a change in attitude and behaviour.
LOWER THE RISK OF TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY & MORE.

4. Families
PEACE OF MIND.

Use ACT Head Impact Tracker to:

1. Forces acting on a head are made visible and more tangible.
2. Get objective information on what has happened and make better and more informed decisions.
3. Create, enforce and track compliancy with regards to restrictions, actions, practices, procedures and protocols.
4. Amend training techniques to help lower the magnitude of head impacts for a healthier and safer brain.
5. Improve awareness and understanding of head impacts and forces acting on a head to help advocate the change in attitudes and behaviour.

Improve decision-making quality and accuracy

Getting objective numeric measurement data on the impacts and forces acting on a head can help you to better understand what has happened. It is not always clear if the head was impacted, who was affected, or if there was one or multiple events. It is also virtually impossible to estimate just how violent the impact and forces acting on a head were. But when something happens, then a decision must be made by someone (who often is not a medically trained professional):

a.) “It was probably nothing, right? Let's continue.”
b.) “Maybe you should sit this one out and take it easy for a day or two.”
c.) “Go get checked out by a medical professional.”
d.) “Call an ambulance!”

Prevention is the key to avoiding Second impact syndrome (SIS)

Second impact syndrome is a rare and extremely dangerous medical condition that can occur when an individual sustains a second brain injury, typically a concussion or mild traumatic brain injury (TBI), before fully recovering from a previous brain injury. SIS is most commonly associated with sports-related brain injuries and most commonly seen in young individuals, such as children and teenagers, whose brains are still developing and may be more vulnerable to injury.

If in doubt, sit them out

If there is any suspicion or doubt about a brain injury, the individual should be safely removed from the activity immediately. Athletes who may or do experience a brain injury, such as a concussion, should be properly evaluated by medical professionals and should not return to sports until they are fully recovered and cleared to do so by a medical professional.

Decrease the risk of brain injury and brain diseases in short, medium, and long term by decreasing the number, magnitude, frequency and proximity of impacts and forces acting on a head

Use numeric restrictions, magnitude restrictions, improve techniques, apply relevant physical trainings, adjust trainings and drills, validate effectiveness on action taken, follow up on compliancy and if objectives set are reached.

Why should you measure every time?

Athletes, coaches, trainers, relevant team personnel, and parents can:

1. Track the impacts occurring.
High numerical values indicate more violent impacts.

2. When a high magnitude impact, blow or jolt occurs, act on it.
If no medical professionals are available on site to do the assessment, we recommend using well-established assessment tools, such as Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 6™.

3. Keep a close eye on the impact history.
When did the previous impact occur? How frequently did the impacts occur? How close in proximity do they occur? How many impacts have you had today/this week/this month/…?

4. Make forces acting on a head visible and concrete.
Create awareness and understanding with objective measures. No more guessing and guestimation. Educate when and why they occur and what they may cause. Strive for good sportsmanship and increased respect with less risk-taking, using excessive force and foul play.

5. Take a stand and send a message.
Measuring the impacts and acting on them signals to everyone involved that this matter is important and should be closely observed. Incidents will not go unnoticed and will rather be acted upon. No-one should fear for their life, health or well-being when doing sports. Through ACT, coaches, parents and athletes can become pioneers in changing attitudes towards head impacts in sport.

ACT Head Impact Tracker smartphone mobile App

The ACT Head Impact Tracker smartphone mobile App is needed to operate ACT Head Impact Tracker head sensor(s). The App enables you to create and manage User Accounts and Profile(s), add and act with ACT Head Impact Tracker sensors on your Profile(s), view and receive impact information, review Profile(s)’s impact history, share your Profile(s) Impact information with other Users, activate, use, and manage certain Service features and functionalities.

On the sidelines you use the smartphone App to listen the sensors, send information from the sensors to the cloud (using mobile data or Wi-Fi) and get and keep an eye on near-real-time data on the events.

ACT Head Impact Tracker mobile App for Android smartphones
App is free to download in Google Play Store on smart phones with Android 9 or newer operating system.
Please note that all different smart phone brands and models have not been tested, and cannot be guaranteed to work, or work as intended with ACT Head Impact Tracker. Also operating ACT Head Impact Tracker might vary a bit between the brands and models. Check comments made on your Android phone brand and model at https://www.act-tracker.com/faq/before-you-buy/

COMING SOON:
ACT Head Impact Tracker App for iPhones
iOS App is not available yet. Estimated launch in the App Store is early 2024.

ACT Head Impact Tracker Browser Access

You can access your user account and get all the data plus much more in the ACT Head Impact Tracker Browser Access page. There are two levels in Browser Access: Web User Interface and Team Dashboard.

Team Dashboard

Team Dashboard is a statistics and light analytics tool for coaches, trainers, teams and clubs. The Beta1 pilot test version is now out for all our users to test use. See the detailed instructions for use in https://www.act-tracker.com/help/ - Team Dashboard section.

Web User Interface

In the web user interface, you get all of the detailed measurements collected and the data it has been converted into, both in numerical and graphical illustrations, with more than what features in the App. You can also mark false positive events (like those of transportation, handling and other) as faulty impacts and add notes to events, browse the data on and smartphone, tablet or computer, and import your impact data to most common spreadsheets (such as Excel or Numbers) in Web User Interface.

What is the Data and what does it tell you?

1. Magnitude relating data tells you how violent the forces on a head were

Rule of thumb: the larger the magnitude, the bigger the chance damage occurs.

• g-force, linear acceleration/deceleration

Regarding individual and infrequent events, 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. Some research studies have suggested that exceeding 70-100g or more, is associated with an increased risk of concussion.

In equestrian sports, thresholds for a 50% risk of concussion have been suggested in terms of linear and angular acceleration [59 g, 28 rad/s]. Also, concussive equestrian accidents occur mostly from oblique impacts to turf or sand, resulting in lower magnitude and longer duration impacts (<130 g and >20 ms, respectively). This represents a distinctly different combination of head impact thresholds when compared to other sports.

It is important to note that these thresholds are not universally agreed upon within the medical and scientific communities and can vary depending on multiple factors (such as age, gender, impact history, brain injury history, and many more). These thresholds merely serve to indicate that there has been a potentially significant head impact. 

• rad/s, angular velocity (available with the ACT Head Impact Tracker Pro)

In the context of brain traumas, rad/s can be used to quantify the rotational forces experienced by the brain during an injury event. Rotational motion can lead to diffuse axonal injury, which is a common type of injury associated with brain trauma. At the moment there is no specific universally accepted threshold of rad/s that could definitively diagnose a concussion, or permanent brain damage.

• Impact g-load (available through Browser Access only)

The relationship between the magnitude and duration of linear acceleration/deceleration and the risk of sustaining a concussion is one part of a complex picture. The biomechanics of brain injury are multifaceted. At the moment there is no specific universally accepted threshold of Impact g-load (AUC) that could definitively diagnose a concussion, or permanent brain damage.

IMPORTANT! These thresholds merely serve to indicate that there has been a potentially significant head impact. Precautionary principles should apply. Brain injuries can result from a combination of forces and factors, including linear and angular forces,  duration of the impact and more. Threshold for an injury vary significantly among individuals.

IF YOU ATTACH SENSOR TO THE HELMET, please note that the sensor measures what it is attached to. The impact forces measured from the helmet are likely to be higher than those acting on your head inside the helmet. How much higher depends on factors like helmet type, how old it is and which part of the helmet the forces act on. It is, however, preferable to wear the sensor against the head so that the impact force measurements are those acting on your head directly.

2. The impact history tells you the number of events with impact forces (10g or over) acting on a head.

Rule of thumb: the higher the number of events when impacts and forces act on a head, the bigger the chance that damage occurs.

Repeated head impacts, even those low in magnitude and in the absence of diagnosed concussions (so-called sub-concussive events), may lead to subtle and cumulative brain changes, brain diseases and injuries. Such changes may include alterations in brain structure and function, and the accumulation of abnormal protein deposits like tau, which is associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Repeated head impacts may also lead to subtle cognitive changes that can affect attention, memory, and other cognitive functions and they may not become apparent until later in life.

3. Impact history also provides frequency & proximity relating data, i.e. when the events happened, how often and how close to each other they occurred

Rule of thumb: the more frequent and closer in proximity, the bigger the chance that damage occurs.

The frequency of impacts and violent forces acting on a head is a significant factor in assessing the risk of brain injuries and diseases. Cumulative exposure to head impacts, especially subconcussive impacts, can have long-term consequences on brain health. Reducing the frequency of head impacts and implementing protective measures are important steps in mitigating these risks. Long-term monitoring of individuals who are at risk of frequent head impacts, such as athletes or individuals in high-risk professions, is essential.

In contact sports, athletes may experience multiple head impacts in close proximity during a single game or practice session. This close succession of impacts can contribute to the overall risk of brain injury.

Common misconceptions about preventing brain injuries and diseases in sports.

  1. “My Helmet keeps me protected against brain injuries.”
    No, it does not. It is not placed between the skull and brain.
    Brain trauma is caused by head movement, which makes brain to move, rotate or twist within the skull, causing shear forces and potentially damaging brain tissue. Helmets are great in protecting against skull fractures and soft tissue damage. Many helmets also have one or more features, such as design and materials to absorb and distribute impact forces, which can decrease the magnitude of forces acting on a head and hence help take down the risk of brain injury in certain types of impacts. Always wear a helmet, but don’t think it solves the problem. You need to do more.
  2. “Wearing a mouth guard protects against brain injuries.”
    No, it does not. Mouth guards are     designed to protect the teeth, gums, and mouth.
    Brain injuries are caused by sudden and forceful head movements, which makes the brain move rapidly within the skull. Mouth guards are not primarily designed to absorb or dissipate the forces associated with such impacts. Do wear a mouth guard to protect your teeth, gums and mouth, but don’t think it solves the problem with brain trauma. You need to do much more.
  3. ”There was no impact, so there is no risk.”
    Yes, there is. A sudden and severe jolt to the head can cause traumatic brain injury (TBI).
    It does not have to be a direct impact. TBIs can result from various types of events including impacts, jolts, falls, blows, and more. The key is the head movement which causes brain to collide with the inside of the skull.
  4. ”I feel fine so it must have only been a small impact”
    No, this is not necessarily so. You can be symptom free after significant impact.
    Often riders/players will be free of symptoms immediately following a significant head impact and signs and symproms will only show hours or even days later. The ACT Head Impact Tracker will help you realise that an impact or jolt was significant. This allows a rider, player or coach to make a safer decision.
  5. ”If I do lots of heading/tackle/etc. training repetitions, my brain will become more resilient against the impacts.”
    No, it will not. While individual lower magnitude events may not pose a significant risk of brain injury, there is great concern about the cumulative effect of repetitive events over time.
    Improving technique through training is much better than simply doing repeptitive training . Graphical illustrations and data in ACT Head Impact Tracker App can help you to develop the best techniques in heading, tackles and more with lower magnitudes in them to support your brain health.
  6. ”I played/rode back in the days and had my fair share of falls and knocks on the head, and I’m just fine. Today's protective gear is so good that riders and players have nothing to be afraid of.”
    Yes, they do. Clearly, not all athletes will be injured or suffer permanent brain damage. But there are many who will. The risk should and could be made significantly lower.
    Protective gear has improved and is much better now than then in the past. But the game, training and athletes have developed even faster. The scientific facts are not to be over-looked and any one injured is one too many. Junior athletes in sports like rugby, horse riding, soccer, etc. must be able to trust the sports and grass root organizations to do everything in their power to keep athletes safe and promote their health.
  7. ”I can’t do anything to prevent brain injuries or diseases.”
    Yes, you can do things to prevent brain injuries and diseases. Decrease the number, magnitude, frequency and proximity of impacts and forces acting on a head.
    Brain injury does not compare with a twisted ankle. If damage caused in sports only manifests later in life, it is still an issue of sports and should be addressed in sports. It is the only way to improve the health and wellbeing of athletes in short, medium, and long term.

Disclaimer and warning

ACT Head Impact Tracker products or services are not protective devices. They do not prevent incidents from happening and they do not protect against injuries of any kind. The ACT Head Impact Tracker is a measuring device. ACT Head Impact Tracker products or services are not medical devices and do not provide medical advice, any kind of diagnostics or treatment suggestions for any health problem. ACT Head Impact Tracker products or services, any content or information therein, is not to be used in place of consultation of licensed medical professional. In case of a head impact, when suspecting one or a concussion, immediately and safely leave the activity and seek help from licensed medical professionals. It is advisable to have an accompanying person if concussion is possible. In the case of an emergency, call an ambulance. If you have been given medical advice by a licensed medical professional, always follow that advice despite any information or content in or from ACT Head Impact Tracker. Atlantic Tech Group (Pty) Ltd and Northern Sports Insight and Intelligence Oy, ACT Head Impact Tracker products and services are not health care specialists. The communication between you and us or ACT Head Impact Tracker does not form any kind of doctor – patient relationship.

Frequent head impacts occur in multiple sports. These impacts may cause:

1. Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) or contribute to the development of brain diseases. Traumatic Brain Injuries range from mild concussions to severe permanent brain damage, and can result in physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and behavioural symptoms and outcomes can range from complete recovery to permanent disability or even death. Childhood Traumatic Brain Injuries indirectly have an effect on psycho-social development dysfunctionalities, learning difficulties, late-onset epilepsy, ADHD, asocial behaviour, substance abuse, and mental disorders.

2. Head impacts may also contribute to the development of brain diseases, such as dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Researchers have also identified a link between head trauma and glioma, an aggressive type of brain tumor.

3. An athlete's performance may be severely compromised due to head impacts and concussion, such as alertness, memory, focus, fast thinking, ability to solve problems, balance and coordination.

There is very little the modern medicine can do for brain injuries, or the development of brain diseases that they may contribute to.

Prevention is the key.

And it all starts with data.

That’s why the ACT Head Impact Tracker was created.

The ACT Head Impact Tracker measures head impacts by initial and maximum linear acceleration/deceleration (g-force) and Impact g-load in all sensor types, and by rotational movement (initial and maximum angular velocity, rad/s, and accumulation of angular velocity) in the ACT Head Impact Tracker Pro. Typically brain injury results from the combination of angular and linear forces. There is no clear consensus of a clear-cut danger limit as expressed in linear acceleration (g-force), or that of angular velocity (rad/s) nor Impact g-load. However, 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 40g to 60g and higher. Some research studies have suggested that exceeding 70g to 100g or more, is associated with an increased risk of concussion.

It is very important to note that these thresholds are not universally agreed upon within the medical and scientific communities and can vary depending on multiple factors (such as age, gender, impact history, brain injury history, type of sport and more). Thresholds should not be used as general guidance but as an indication that a potentially significant impact has occurred. 

We believe that today there is still not sufficient medical research to reliably, simply and safely classify the individual impacts as “small-medium-hard” or “green-yellow-red” on the basis of g-force, angular velocity (rad/s) or Impact g-load. 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 yet. That’s why more data and research is needed.

But as a thumb rule can be applied:
The higher the magnitude of the forces, the bigger the chance that damage occurs
The higher the number of events, the bigger the chance that damage occurs
The more frequent and closer in proximity the events are, the bigger the chance damage occurs

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