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BIDDEFORD, Maine

‘Portland Press Herald’ reports on concussion research at UNE

Members of the 51Ʒmen's lacrosse team
Members of the 51Ʒmen's lacrosse team

The Portland Press Herald published a front-page article on pioneering head impact research conducted by John Rosene, D.P.E., A.T.C., C.S.C.S., ACSM EP-C, visiting faculty in the Department of Exercise and Sport Performance and Paul Visich, Ph.D., M.P.H., ACSM C-CEP, professor and chair of the Department of Exercise and Sport Performance.

Over the course of the spring 2016 season, approximately 20 athletes from the men's lacrosse team volunteered to wear headbands with impact-motion sensors during practices and home games. The sensors track several variables, including the magnitude of head impacts, the directional vector of the hit and the frequency of hits. While the sensors cannot indicate whether a concussion has taken place, they show the severity of the collision.   

Rosene noted that “Over time, we can see more correlation and see what type of hit caused concussions.”

As their research continues, Rosene and Visich want to investigate the effect of repetitive hits, as well as the relationship between the magnitude of hits and cognitive function. Next winter, they plan to extend the study to the 51Ʒmen’s and women’s ice hockey teams.

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The 51Ʒ is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of . In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.