The VAFA is delighted to announce a new three-year partnership with HITIQ, which will make HITIQ the VAFA’s ‘Official Concussion Technology Partner.’
HITIQ’s new consumer-focused impact detection system – HITIQ PROTEQT – will be available to VAFA clubs as the league continues to explore ways to make the game safer for our players to enjoy.
HITIQ PROTEQT’s advanced smart mouthguard system is designed for grassroots athletes and monitors head impacts in real-time, flagging players at risk of head injury and potential concussion.
At-risk players are then guided through a symptom assessment workflow and, if further care is required, can gain instant access to a telehealth service staffed by emergency physicians and concussion specialists for additional advice.
Should the club or player’s preferred medical professional subsequently determine that the player has suffered a concussion, they will be guided back to play via their club’s medical staff and the AFL’s official community concussion protocols.
“Player safety is a primary priority for the VAFA, and concussion is one of the most serious health issues in the game. So partnering with HITIQ, who are leading the way in impact technology that can assist with early detection of potential concussions, is another step forward,” said VAFA CEO, Jason Reddick.
“We’re happy to help bring this next-level tool to our VAFA community and encourage our clubs to learn more about HITIQ PROTEQT. Any tool that can help players and club medical staff quickly identify a potential concussion and begin assessment and treatment earlier is worthy of consideration.”
Earl Eddings, Executive Chair of HITIQ, commented:
“Partnering with the VAFA is a critical step toward bringing HITIQ PROTEQT to life. With the VAFA as our launchpad, we’re gearing up to deliver our cutting-edge technology to community sport, starting with their teams and expanding nationwide.
“Thanks to Shock Doctor’s expertise and our Nexus iMG success in this league, we’re ready to make a lasting impact with PROTEQT.”
Stuart McDonald, Senior Research Fellow of Monash University’s Department of Neuroscience, said:
“Research with HITIQ’s instrumented mouthguards, including our studies in the VAFA, has shown they reliably detect and quantify the forces exerted on the head during collisions.
“Based on our experience, players have found their previous mouthguards very comfortable, and they also show promise in identifying impacts that may carry a higher concussion risk.
“While these devices do not diagnose concussion, they could be used to highlight significant impacts that might otherwise have been missed, encouraging appropriate symptom monitoring and medical evaluation.”
For more information on HITIQ PROTEQT, please contact: [email protected]
About HITIQ
HITIQ Limited (ASX: HIQ) provides technology for brain injury management, delivering smart mouthguards and software solutions to sports and research sectors globally.
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