A new collar has been invented that may prevent concussions in sports
A specialized collar, developed by Q30 Innovations, is being researched by the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital medical Center for its efficacy in preventing damage caused by concussions in sports like soccer. The collar applies pressure to the back of the neck, which “allows the artery in the neck to safely backfill the brain with blood, turning the blood into a cushion that makes it less likely for the brain to move upon impact,” according to ABC News. The study involved 46 14-18 year old girls on their high school soccer teams, having them undergo brain scans before and after the season, as well as during the off-season. While it is not completely clear as to whether or not the collar can prevent pressure and damage caused by head injuries, if it is effective, it may just be another small price to pay for the safety of athletes.
New tool invented to help parents find the best sport for their kids
The Healthy Sport Index, released by the Aspen Institute’s Sports & Society Program, may change the way parents sign their kids up for little leagues for years to come. The website allows families to weigh factors of sports to decide which one makes most sense for their child: safety, physical activity and the psychosocial benefits of playing the sport. The index then ranks 10 sports based on how the different factors were weighted on a sliding scale. The scale is available for public use at healthysportindex.com.
Albany, New York to host International Women’s Sports Festival
The inaugural Aurora Games, a new women’s international sports, entertainment and cultural festival, will be held at the Times Union Center in August 2019. The six-day event is set to take place every two years. The event will feature athletes from 15 countries, competing in basketball, tennis, figure skating, gymnastics, beach volleyball and ice hockey. The advisory board is filled with former Olympic champions and medal winners.
Sports officials are making lists of people barred for sexual misconduct
Officials are making lists of the hundreds of people who have been barred, usually for sexual misconduct, from sports federations and those who oversee the development on Olympic athletes, According to the New York Times, “gymnastics recently had 178 people on its list. Swimming had 163. An additional 31 are on the list from taekwondo, 29 from figure skating and 33 more from judo.” The lists bring up inconsistencies across the sports world: the different organizations can have widely varying standards. Questions of legality have been raised as well— is it even legal to publish these lists, since the government is supposed to deliver justice. Regardless, organizations are uploading data online and to databases so that athletes get a sense of transparency from them.
