Longitudinal Monitoring of Head Impacts in Elite Junior Ice Hockey

NCT ID: NCT07341880

Last Updated: 2026-01-14

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
• Total Enrollment: 52 participants
• Study Classification: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-09-03
• Study Completion Date: 2028-06-30

Brief Summary

This study aims to better understand how head impacts during ice hockey affect the brain and body, especially in young athletes. Even when players do not show clear signs of concussion, these repeated impacts may cause subtle changes in the brain's structure and in how the body regulates basic functions, such as heart rhythm and attention.

This study will follow elite junior ice hockey players over the course of one full season to better understand the effects of repeated head impacts. Using a small helmet sensor (Bearmind) and video analysis, researchers will record and analyze every head impact that occurs during games and practices.

Three times during the season - before, mid-season, and after - players will complete assessments of heart rate variability (using Polar H10 monitors) and a dual-task test that measures attention and coordination.

After any diagnosed concussion, players will be reassessed with both heart rate variability and dual-task testing at 3 days post-injury. Following that, dual-task testing alone will be repeated every 3 days until return to sport. Players who experience a severe head impact, as detected by the helmet sensor, will also be evaluated 3 days after the impact with both heart rate variability and dual-task testing, even if no concussion symptoms are present.

By combining these measures, the study aims to detect early physiological and cognitive changes following head impacts, improve understanding of sub-concussive effects, and support better prevention and management strategies for young athletes.

Conditions

Concussion (Diagnosis); Sport-related Concussion; Hockey Player

Study Design

• Observational Model Type: COHORT
• Study Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE

Study Groups

Young Hockey Players

Elite junior ice hockey players will be monitored over one full season. Each player will wear a helmet sensor (Bearmind) to record head impacts. Heart rate variability (Polar H10) and dual-task tests will be conducted pre-, mid-, and post-season. After any concussion, both measures will be repeated at 3 days post-injury, with dual-task testing every 3 days until return to sport. Following a severe head impact, assessments will occur 3 days post-impact.

Head impact monitoring

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Players wear a helmet-mounted sensor (Bearmind) during games and practices to record and quantify head impacts.

Heart rate variability monitoring

Intervention Type: OTHER

Players wear a Polar H10 heart rate monitor to measure heart rate variability at designated times during the season. HRV is assessed pre-, mid-, and post-season, and again 3 days after a diagnosed concussion or sever head impact to evaluate autonomic nervous system responses.

Dual-task cognitive and motor assessment

Intervention Type: OTHER

Players perform a dual-task test combining cognitive and motor activities while wearing a chest-mounted sensor to capture movement and performance metrics. Assessments are conducted pre-, mid-, and post-season, 3 days after a concussion or severe impact , and every 3 days until return to sport after a concussion.

Interventions

Head impact monitoring

Players wear a helmet-mounted sensor (Bearmind) during games and practices to record and quantify head impacts.

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Heart rate variability monitoring

Players wear a Polar H10 heart rate monitor to measure heart rate variability at designated times during the season. HRV is assessed pre-, mid-, and post-season, and again 3 days after a diagnosed concussion or sever head impact to evaluate autonomic nervous system responses.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Dual-task cognitive and motor assessment

Players perform a dual-task test combining cognitive and motor activities while wearing a chest-mounted sensor to capture movement and performance metrics. Assessments are conducted pre-, mid-, and post-season, 3 days after a concussion or severe impact , and every 3 days until return to sport after a concussion.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Licensed athletes from the Hockey Club of Caen, playing in the U15 or U18 teams.

Exclusion Criteria

• Inability of the participant or their legal representative to receive study information or comply with study requirements.
• Participant or legal representative cannot be reached (in person, by phone, or by email) during the sports season.
• Refusal of the participant or their legal representative to participate in the study.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 13 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

INSERM UMR U1075 Comète GIP Cyceron, unicaen, Caen Normandie

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role: collaborator

University Hospital, Caen

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Joffrey DRIGNY

Associate Professor, Consulting Physician

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire de Caen Normandie

Caen, Normandy, France

Countries

France

Other Identifiers

DRAK-CARE

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id