Sports season is coming up and what better time to download concussion focused smartphone apps. These apps for the Android and iPhone help screen for mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) by checking symptoms, tests, and reports at the touch of a button.
These screening apps do not replace the advice of a healthcare professional and this is not an endorsement, but they may be helpful nonetheless.
2 Free Apps
Play It Safe is an app for trainers and coaches created by Concussion Health. Available for all Apple devices, including the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad, this app is for assessing athletic injuries. After an injury, it will take you to a questionnaire which will assess consciousness and common concussion symptoms. There are also tests for cognitive function and balance. Once it is complete, you can e-mail the report to a healthcare professional
Concussion is aimed at trainers, coachers, and health personnel and, like the previous one, has the ability to email reports to physicians. Sports Safety Labs LLC has designed it for Apple devices, and the free version offers lists of signs, symptoms, quick access to 911, and a map to the nearest hospital. To get a similar questionnaire to the previous one will cost you $4.99, which will allow you to record a baseline evaluation and/or a post-injury evaluation.
Apps for $3.99
Concussion Recognition and Response (Android Here) is aimed at parents and coaches and was developed by a pediatric neuropsychologist at the Children’s National Medical Center in DC, Dr. Gerard Gioia, who is also the director of the SCORE concussion program. A yes/no assessment page quickly goes through multiple symptoms and alerts parents/coaches if a concussion is suspected. It also offers recovery advice.
Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 2 (SCAT2) is aimed at medical and healthcare professional use and is designed for all Apple products. It is to be used for pre-season/pre-concussion baseline testing, which are used to interpret post-injury scores.
