SACRED HEART UNIVERSITY NEWS

Contacts: Funda Alp, 2033!"#2$%, alpf@sacredheart.edu

T&ac' D((&)*&(+, 2033,%,,-%, deer-
mirekt@sacredheart.edu
Fo& I..(d*at( R(l(as(
XX, 2014
SACRED HEART UNIVERSITY /R0FESS0R C0NDUCTS
ACCE1ER0)ETER C0NCUSSI0N RESEARCH WITH HE1/ FR0) THE
)EN2S 1ACR0SSE TEA)
FAIRFIEL, !"##. $%heresa &i'ashita, direct"r a#d assista#t pr"fess"r f"r the
athletic trai#i#( educati"# pr"(ram at )acred *eart +#i,ersit', has -e(u# a#
acceler"meter c"#cussi"# stud' at the +#i,ersit'. )he is usi#( the
+#i,ersit'.s me#.s lacr"sse team t" help her /ith this research, /hich
i#,"l,es the use "f acceler"meters i# the team.s helmets. %hese se#s"rs
detect the am"u#t "f impact 0i# 1s "r sta#dard (ra,it' accelerati"#2 a pla'er
recei,es /he# he (ets hit -' a -all, a stick, a#"ther pla'er "r hits the (r"u#d.
%he pla'ers /ill -e /eari#( these se#s"rs i# their helmets f"r the e#tire
seas"# $ -"th i# practices a#d (ames. %he i#f"rmati"# recei,ed fr"m the
se#s"rs is the# upl"aded t" see the #um-er "f impacts sustai#ed, /here the
impacts /ere sustai#ed a#d the am"u#t "f 1s each impact had. %his data is
the# c"mpared t" a #um-er "f di3ere#t ,aria-les such as #eur"c"(#iti,e
fu#cti"#, m"di4ed I5 sc"res, depressi"#6a#7iet', alc"h"l6dru( depe#de#c'
scree#s a#d c"#cussi"# i#8uries. %he pla'ers /ere -aseli#e tested a#d /ill -e
(i,e# a p"st-test /he# the seas"# is c"mplete.
9:e are "#e "f the 4rst i# the c"u#tr' t" em-ark "# a# acceler"meter
c"#cussi"# stud' "f this si;e i# me#.s lacr"sse,< said &i'ashita. 9:e are
c"lla-"rati#( /ith =r"fess"r &ichael *i((i#s at %"/s"# +#i,ersit', /h" is
c"#ducti#( a similar stud' t" c"mpare impacts "# di3ere#t helmets 0!ascade
,s. :arri"r2. !"#cussi"# research a#d the t"pic "f c"#cussi"#s is ,er' 9h"t<
ri(ht #"/, a#d this research tar(ets the fastest-(r"/i#( team sp"rt i#
America.<
&i'ashita a#d her team -e(a# their research i# >a#uar' "f this 'ear a#d are
h"pi#( t" c"#ti#ue ",er the #e7t f"ur 'ears t" e#sure a l"#(itudi#al stud'.
%he' are curre#tl' m"#it"ri#( a (r"up "f freshme# a#d /ill f"ll"/ them
thr"u(h their f"ur 'ears "f lacr"sse pla'i#(. %he' /ill als" -e l""ki#( at the
pla'ers f"r "ther ,aria-les as /ell.
9%he me#.s lacr"sse team a#d their c"ach, >"h# ?asti, ha,e -ee# hu(e
supp"rters a#d ha,e -ee# i#strume#tal i# (etti#( this pr"8ect ru##i#(,<
&i'ashita said. 9%his pr"8ect /"uld #"t -e p"ssi-le /ith"ut them a#d the rest
"f m' research team.<
&i'ashita.s team c"#sists "f =r"fess"r Ele#i iak"(e"r(i"u@ Aaitl'# &arrie,
sta3 mem-er f"r the athletic trai#i#( pr"(ram@ &ar' >" &as"# fr"m the
*ealth a#d :ell#ess !e#ter, =r"fess"r Aell' !"pperthite a#d a #um-er "f her
athletic trai#i#( stude#ts.
# # #
About Sacred Heart University
)acred *eart +#i,ersit', the sec"#d-lar(est i#depe#de#t !ath"lic u#i,ersit'
i# Be/ E#(la#d, "3ers m"re tha# C0 u#der(raduate, (raduate a#d d"ct"ral
pr"(rams "# its mai# campus i# Fair4eld, !"##ecticut, a#d satellites i#
!"##ecticut, Lu7em-"ur( a#d Irela#d. &"re tha# D,400 stude#ts atte#d the
+#i,ersit'.s 4,e c"lle(esE Arts F )cie#ces@ *ealth =r"fessi"#s@ +#i,ersit'
!"lle(e@ the AA!)?-accredited >"h# F. 0>ack2 :elch !"lle(e "f ?usi#ess@ a#d
the B!A%E-accredited Isa-elle Farri#(t"# !"lle(e "f Educati"#. The Princeton
Review i#cludes )*+ i# its (uides 9?est GHI !"lle(es 3 2014 Editi"#,< 9?est
i# the B"rtheast< a#d 9?est 2JC ?usi#ess )ch""ls $ 2014 Editi"#.< U.S.News
& World Report ra#ks )*+ am"#( the -est master.s u#i,ersities i# the B"rth
i# its a##ual 9America.s ?est !"lle(es< pu-licati"#. )acred *eart /as als"
me#ti"#ed i# Money ma(a;i#e.s ra#ki#( "f Fair4eld as the D4th

-est t"/# t"
li,e. As "#e "f 8ust 2G i#stituti"#s #ati"#all', )*+ is a mem-er "f the
Ass"ciati"# "f America# !"lle(es F +#i,ersities. 0AA!F+2 !"re !"mmitme#ts
Leadership !"#s"rtium, i# rec"(#iti"# "f its c"re, 9%he *uma# >"ur#e'.< )*+
4elds G1 di,isi"# I athletic teams, a#d has a# a/ard-/i##i#( pr"(ram "f
c"mmu#it' ser,ice. www.sacredheart.edu
F"r additi"#al )acred *eart +#i,ersit' #e/s, please ,isit
httpE66///.sacredheart.edu6a-"utshu6#e/s6.