Legislation aimed at protecting young athletes with head injuries has cleared the Ohio House.
 
The chamber approved the bill Wednesday, sending it to the Senate.
 
The bill requires pulling young players from action if they show concussion-like symptoms and adds health care providers to the list of those who can approve returning a player to action.
 
On a similar note the Wii is providing athletic trainers in the state with a new method for assessing head injuries.
 
Researchers with Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center are using an interactive video game to test concussion injuries.
 
Tamerah Hunt, Director of Research with OSU’s Sports Medicine Concussion Program, says they are receiving a positive response to the method.
 
 
 
In the past it was believed concussions only affected cognitive function, but Hunt says that’s not the case.
 

 
For many school districts strapped for cash, Hunt says the video game it is an affordable option and can be portable, making it convenient for sideline testing and for travel to away games.
 


This testing gives athletic trainers an idea of how an athlete normally functions, and if an athlete suffers a head injury, the trainer can assess the athlete's balance compared to their normal ability.
 
The National Collegiate Athletic Association supports using the video game for concussion assessment.
 
The new bill requires youth sports coaches to take an online course and parents to review and sign information sheets about brain injuries.
 
It wouldn't affect Ohio High School Athletic Association schools that already have strict guidelines.