Nation’s First Concussion Prevention Video Game Launches
The groundbreaking game, called Barrow Brain Ball, teaches children how to safely avoid collisions with other players on the football field, while providing valuable concussion education to young athletes. The app is free and is geared to children ages 8 to 12. The arcade-style game was created by Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix and was funded through a grant by Fiesta Bowl Charities. The app can be downloaded through Android, Apple and Google Play.
“Barrow Brain Ball was created to educate young children about the risk of concussion in sports,” says Barrow Brain Ball creator Javier Cardenas, MD, who is a neurologist and brain injury expert at Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center. “More than 3 million sports-related concussions occur nationally each year and until now there’s been only minimal concussion education available to youth athletes.”
Fun and interactive, the video game enables players to dash, spin, jump and sprint into the end zone while learning to play smart with game play training modes that will educate about concussion and brain injury. Players can select their skills, customize their uniform colors, track their stats, and collect trophies.
The new video game launches after a recent national study was released suggesting school-aged athletes are twice as likely as college athletes to suffer a concussion. Just last week, two high school football players died from catastrophic brain injuries sustained on the football field.
“We need to shift the paradigm and start educating young children about risk of concussion to prevent many of the brain injuries that are occurring at their age and in high school athletes,” says Dr. Cardenas. “Barrow Brain Ball is an innovative way for us to teach children throughout the U.S. about concussion early in age. We want them to learn how to play safe when they’re young.”
To download Barrow Brain Ball, visit:
- Google Play
- iTunes
- Android
About Barrow Neurological Institute:
Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center is internationally recognized as a leader in neurological research, diagnosis and patient care. Its world-renowned physicians treat patients with a wide range of neurological conditions, including brain and spinal disorders and injuries. More brain surgeries are performed at Barrow than any hospital in the United States and the Institute trains more neurosurgeons than anywhere in the world. St. Joseph’s is consistently voted among the top hospitals in the United States for neurology and neurosurgery.
About Fiesta Bowl:
The Fiesta Bowl is committed to fostering a culture of community involvement and giving. Through elite bowl games and related events, we serve as welcoming hosts, create lifelong memories, promote Arizona and enable meaningful contributions to society. For more information, visit www.fiestabowl.org.
Contact: Carmelle Malkovich, (602) 406-3319
Publish date:
Tuesday, November 19, 2013