A New Concussion Management Solution

A New Concussion Management Solution Keeps Mankato Student-Athletes Safer

The start of the fall sports season is an exciting time for high school athletes in Mankato. But with the thrill of competition comes the risk of injury, especially when it comes to concussions. Fortunately, the Orthopaedic & Fracture Clinic (OFC), which provides athletic trainers for area high school sporting events, has partnered with the Mankato Clinic Foundation to give their trainers a powerful new tool to monitor and manage concussions.

In 2020, OFC began using concussion management software to establish baseline measurements for their student-athletes. This year, they've taken things a step further by adopting a new platform called Sway. Sway utilizes smartphone technology to assess an athlete's cognitive and physical functions before the season starts.

"We closely monitor them to manage their concussion and make sure they're able to return to the sport safely," explains OFC athletic trainer Jonathan Murillo, who works directly with the athletes at Mankato East High School.

The baseline assessments provide objective data that trainers can use to evaluate an athlete's condition if a suspected concussion occurs during the season. By comparing post-injury results to the pre-season baseline, trainers can create a personalized recovery plan and determine when it's safe for the athlete to return to play.

"We create a personalized recovery plan and educate athletes and parents on how to safely return to learn and play," says Dr. Thomas Finn, a sports medicine physician at Mankato Clinic who uses Sway in his practice.

The baseline testing is done annually, recognizing that a young athlete's brain can change significantly from one year to the next. "There's a lot of development happening (in those years)," Murillo notes. "A brain from eighth grade is different from a brain in 10th grade."

With Sway, OFC's athletic trainers at 12 area high schools, including Mallory Korver at Mankato West High School, now have more tools than ever to identify, monitor, and manage concussions. This upgraded technology is giving Mankato student-athletes the best chance to recover fully and get back to the sports they love.