MP Thibeault on hand for anti-concussion technology tests

SUDBURY—Today, New Democrat Sports Critic Glenn Thibeault (Sudbury) was on hand as Sudbury’s Lady Wolves laced up for trials of a new concussion sensor system designed to help coaches and trainers fight the growing epidemic of concussions in sport. Impakt Protective Shockbox is a wireless Bluetooth sensor designed to detect the impact to a player’s head and send the results back to the coach for analysis.

“Concussions are not as obvious as other injuries and for years have gone undiagnosed or worse ignored as a serious problem,” said Thibeault. “For the sake of the boys and girls who play hockey and other contact sports we need to make sure that we not only have the proper rules in place but also the right techniques and equipment to prevent and diagnose these serious brain injuries.”

Thibeault has been a leading advocate for reducing concussions in hockey and other sports and put forward a bill in the House of Commons to reduce the growing number of concussions in amateur sport. For him linking local hockey associations with emerging industry leaders is integral to curbing the concussion.

“We tend to see concussions as only a problem in the major leagues however it is an epidemic across amateur hockey as well and crosses the gender barrier too,” said Thibeault. “That’s why it was important to find a local women’s team to participate in the Shockbox trials to ensure that female athletes are not being excluded from innovative solutions to rein in the ongoing concussion epidemic.”

The trails of the Shockbox with the Sudbury Lady Wolves who have seen three players, approximately 20% of the team, already sidelined with concussions this season. Recent medical evidence suggests that girls suffer concussions at a higher rate than boys in similar sports.

“At the end we parents and fans just want to know that the game is safe,” said Thibeault. “To do that we are going to need new guidelines and new technology to make sure that the boys and girls who play the game play in the best possible environment.”