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Ohio High School Using press box medical observers

Concussions continue to be a focal point for athletic trainers at all levels, especially high school.

More than 300,000 head-related sports injuries occur each year in high school sports, and Ohio is one of 37 states to enact regulations to help standardize the diagnosis and treatment of head injuries.

Tim Berger, Philo’s head athletic trainer and a professor in sports sciences at Muskingum University, is bringing a unique approach to aid the recognition of those injuries.

His training staff will have an “eye in the sky,” a spotter stationed in or near the media box. Usually students, the spotters will watch for players who show possible signs of concussions such as disorientation or stumbling after “hard hits or bell-ringing blows.”

Berger took the idea from the professional ranks and will implement the plan for all of Philo’s home football and soccer games.

Two students were keeping an eye on the field during last Friday’s game against Licking Valley.

“This will help spot potential concussions more efficiently and quickly. What might be missed from a sideline viewpoint can be seen more clearly from up above,” Berger said. “They would immediately alert the training staff of dazed athletes, which better protects the injured individuals by getting them out of the game and evaluated in a timely manner.”

Precautions are a must with the damage concussions can have on athletes, and Berger said he hopes the idea will assist trainers going forward and protect players in the future.

“We want to improve the safety of our high school athletes,” he said. “Hopefully, head injuries will be minimized and recovery more expedient (with this approach).”

ORIGINAL ARTICLE:
http://www.zanesvilletimesrecorder.com/story/sports/high-school/2015/09/10/philo-using-eye-sky-notice-concussions/72024304/