A Midwest organization that provides physical therapy and occupational therapy is partnering with professional and amateur hockey teams to confront the amount of concussions among the sport's young players, according to TribLocal.com.
Also joining the "A Step aHead" effort is the Midwest Center for Concussion Care. The Chicago Blackhawks Hockey Club, the Amateur Hockey Association of Illinois and AthletiCo Physical and Occupational Therapy established the program earlier this month.
The program offers free baseline testing to all members of the AHAI aged between 13 and 18 through February 1 of next year, the Chicago Blackhawks announced on November 1, when the baseline testing began.
The purpose of the testing is to set a foundation of normal cognitive functioning for each person who undergoes the exam. Results of the exam then may be referenced after any instance of head trauma as part of a comprehensive clinical evaluation.
Youth hockey players also will have access to educational programs, which aims to teach them things known by people with occupational therapy jobs.
Each of the four groups is devoted to educating the youth hockey community about how vital it is to effectively manage concussions.