Papers are invited for a symposium on the Mechanism of Concussion in Sports, to be held Nov. 13, 2012, at the Hyatt Regency in Atlanta, GA.
The symposium is being sponsored by ASTM International Committee F08 on Sports Equipment and Facilities and its Subcommittee on Medical Aspects and Biomechanics, in cooperation with the Hockey Equipment Certification Council (HECC) and USA Hockey.
This symposium is a follow-up to a similar meeting held on Nov. 20, 2000, in Orlando, Fla. The objective of the symposium is to review the current state of the art and science of the mechanism of concussion in sports, with the possibility of developing methods and techniques for decreasing the risk for concussions and possibly the prevention of concussions in sports. Papers are invited on, but are not limited to:
Studies on specific mechanical forces that cause concussions;
Techniques to decrease concussive forces to the head;
The effects of hydration before, after and during sports competition on the decreasing the effect of concussive forces;
The effect of the use of different type of mouth guards and how these mouth guards can decrease the effect of concussive forces; and
Coaching and training techniques that can decrease the effect of concussive forces to the head.
Papers on the above subjects are invited from (but not limited to) the fields of sports science, sports medicine, athletic training, biomechanics, risk factor management, epidemiology, national governing bodies, sports psychology, injury surveillance, equipment standards, physical conditioning, behavioral factors, playing facilities, officiating and playing rules.
To participate in the symposium, presenters/authors must submit online the Abstract Submittal Form and attach a 250-300 word preliminary abstract no later than April 15, 2012. The abstract must include a clear definition of the objective and approach of the work discussed, pointing out material that is new, and present sufficient details regarding results. The presentation and manuscript must not be of a commercial nature nor can it have been previously published. The symposium co-chairmen will notify you in writing by May 15, 2012, of your paper’s acceptability for presentation at the symposium.
Symposium presenters are required to submit their papers to the Selected Technical Paper (STP), an online and printed, peer-reviewed publication for the international scientific and engineering community. Manuscripts to be peer reviewed for the STP are due online no later than Dec. 15, 2012, at the ASTM Editorial Office.
Visit www.astm.org/MEETINGS/COMMIT/f08symp1112.htm for abstract submittal and additional information.
Additional technical information is available from symposium co-chairmen Mariusz Ziejewski, Ph.D., North Dakota State University, Fargo, N.D. (phone: 701-231-7098; mariusz.ziejewski@ndsu.edu) or Alan Ashare, M.D., St. Elizabeth Medical Center and Tufts Medical School, Boston, Mass. (phone: 617-789-2828; alan.ashare.md@steward.org).