February 16, 2023
Menlo Park, CA - Sparta Science, the enterprise leader in Movement Health Intelligence, today announced it is partnering with researchers from La Trobe University (Melbourne, Australia) and Sheffield Hallam University (Sheffield, England) on a collaborative project looking into the effect of head impact exposure on brain health and movement adaptability.
Concussion continues to be an international concern across contact sports due to the development of physical and neurophysiological impairment. There is growing interest in the development of underlying pathophysiological changes that occur with sub-concussive “silent” head impacts. The repeated nature of these head impacts in sport has an accumulative effect on the brain and has been shown to affect the visual and balance systems of the body, and linked to the development of neurodegenerative diseases. Using the Sparta Movement Health Platform (SMHP) alongside other methodologies, this project aims to quantify the acute and chronic effects of head impact exposure on brain health, movement adaptability, and whether task-related intervention strategies moderate these effects.
“We look forward to working with Sparta Science and using the Sparta Movement Health Platform as a quick and objective measurement tool for our project.” - Dr Kane Middleton, Senior Lecturer, La Trobe University
The development of a rapid, objective, noninvasive, and affordable method to identify athletes at risk or those with these microarchitecture changes of brain function would have a considerable impact on sports administrators, coaches, and players concerning the risks associated with chronic head impact exposure and the utility of monitoring athletes and developing intervention strategies to reduce these detrimental effects.
About LaTrobe University
La Trobe University undertakes high-quality research emerging from its areas of strength and brings together discovery, applied, and translational research capability across the University to address important global problems on the biggest interdisciplinary issues of our time. They expand the impact of their research and engage effectively in partnerships with industry, government, community, and not-for-profit organizations. They are a pre-eminent university for innovation and industry collaboration, with the ability to apply and translate their knowledge to useful outcomes.
About Sheffield Hallam University
Sheffield Hallam University's vision is to become the world's leading applied university, transforming lives and creating opportunities for people from all backgrounds. With more than 33,500 students, it is one of the UK's largest universities and a leading provider of health education and teacher training. Sheffield Hallam also educates more students from underrepresented backgrounds than any other UK university. The application of knowledge is at the heart of everything the University does, from students’ learning and experience to business partnerships and innovative research addressing real-world challenges.
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