The King-Devick Test: Is There A Reliable Test For Sports Concussions?

There have been a number of blogs here at the Injuryboard about the concerns about sports concussions:

Professional Athletes May Be Teaching Us The Hard Truths About Concussions, Mike Bryant | September 24, 2010 9:59 AM

Sports Concussions Need More Scrutiny, Mike Bryant | April 15, 2010 9:06 AM

Heads Up: Athlete Concussions May Lead to Serious Traumatic Brain Injuries,Mark Bello | September 01, 2010 11:57 AM

Link to NFL Concussion Poster, Michael Phelan | August 26, 2010 5:17 PM

NFL Concussion Poster A Must For All Locker Rooms, Michael Phelan | July 28, 2010 3:03 PM

Concussions in kids and teens, Melissa Landau | June 17, 2009 10:48 AM

US Lacrosse Confronts Concussion Epidemic, Michael Phelan | November 07, 2007 8:55 AM

I found it very interesting that researchers are suggesting that there may be a new test that could help with quick diagnosis. The King- Devick test would involve a one-minute test where the athlete would read a series of single-digit numbers on index-sized cards. After an injury, the athlete reads those cards again, and if the time is slower, it suggests there’s been a concussion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNG3Xz2Hpfs

The study results suggest the King-Devick test "is a strong candidate as a rapid, sidelines screening test for concussion," the authors write. It could be particularly helpful in identifying athletes who should be removed from play and assessed for possible concussion in such contact sports as football, soccer, hockey, mixed-martial arts fighting and boxing, according to a study published this week online in the journal "Neurology".

The more we are learning about the long term affects of concussions, the more likely it is that this type of early and affective diagnosis can make a difference.