Speaking English as a Second Language May Alter Results of Sideline Concussion Testing

0
981

A session at the Association of Academic Physiatrists Annual Meeting in Sacramento, Calif. reports that commonly utilized examinations used to diagnose concussions on the sidelines of sporting events show that those speaking English as a second language demonstrated reduced success in diagnosis. The lead researcher explained the usual process. “These eye movements are called saccades. When we make a saccade, there are multiple components of the eye movement behavior that we can assess, such as how quickly the movement begins, how fast the movement progresses, and whether the movement lands the eye on the target accurately.” However, in subjects whose primary language was not the one in which the examination was being conducted, eye movements appeared similar to concussion cases even when no head injury was found during later examination. To learn more about this study, click here.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
o