Concussion testing in roller derby

My latest print article is out. Read about concussion testing in roller derby (part 1 of 2) in Issue 10 of Fiveonfive Magazine. For this piece I talked to several people in our league’s safety committee, our main EMT, and two concussion experts based at UPMC.

Earlier this year I knew next-to-nothing about concussions and had never heard of concussion testing. Bottom line: a concussion is a nearly invisible brain injury that can cause trouble down the line if you get another one before the first is fully healed.

Coaches and players in many sports, famously including the NFL, are beginning to take concussion recovery seriously. Tests can help tell if an injured athlete’s brain function is truly back to normal so they can safely return to play. My league, Steel City, is possibly the first roller derby league to formally address this issue.