Free concussion screenings for athletes of all ages

July 24, 2017

Georgia Southern School of Health and Kinesiology faculty Nicholas Murray, Ph.D., assistant professor of kinesiology, and Barry Munkasy, Ph.D., associate professor of kinesiology, have teamed up with Statesboro-Bulloch County Parks and Recreation and Clark Medical Group to offer comprehensive concussion baseline and post-injury screenings to help injured athletes return to play in the safest and most effective manner.

The project is part of ongoing concussion research at the University, and is aimed to provide no-cost concussion screening to an at-risk group who may or may not have access to these types of screenings.

In the event a concussion has occurred, individuals will have the opportunity to complete a follow up assessment with project staff at Clark Medical Group or at Georgia Southern University’s Hanner Biomechanics Lab. All information gathered will be shared with the individual’s medical practitioner to aid in managing the athlete’s recovery process.

The event is intended for adolescents, but concussion screenings will be open to the general public from 7-9 p.m. on July 25, Aug. 1-3 and Aug. 8-10, at Clark Medical Group in Statesboro. The walk-in appointments are on a first-come, first-served basis.

About Georgia Southern University’s Concussion Research Lab
Georgia Southern University, one of the leading institutions in the state for this type of research, offers a Concussion Research Lab which is dedicated to the scientific understanding of sports-related concussions and their resulting consequences. The research currently focuses on the longitudinal aspects and deficits involved in post-concussion injury. Known measurable deficits such as visual problems, postural instability, cognitive impairment, and debilitating neurologic symptoms, such as headaches, are direct results of a sport-related concussion and are not well understood during the recovery process.

The current research goal surrounding these deficits is to monitor the acute and long-term impairments athletes demonstrate post-injury. Dedicated to providing the highest level of care for their student-athletes, Georgia Southern offers pre-season baseline assessments that involve standard clinical exams and novel assessment techniques such as eye tracking, postural control, gait and neuropsychological tests. Pushing the envelope of science while bridging the gap between clinical, engineering and human movement science is essential to understanding and mapping these long-term deficits.

The interdisciplinary research team, led by Murray and Munkasy, works closely with a diverse array of faculty and students at the Georgia Southern, and has collaborative relationships with the University of Delaware, University of Georgia, Georgia Tech, Georgia Tech Research Institute, University of Memphis, Shepherd Center,  University of Prince Edwards Island, The University of Texas at El Paso, and the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.

For more information, contact Murray at 912-478-0203 or nmurray@georgisouthern.edu.

Georgia Southern University, a public Carnegie Doctoral/Research University founded in 1906, offers 118 degree programs serving 20,673 students. Through eight colleges, the University offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs built on more than a century of academic achievement. Georgia Southern is recognized for its student-centered and hands-on approach to education. Visit GeorgiaSouthern.edu.