UC researchers team up with elite athlete for snowsport study

Amanda Powell

15 February 2012: New University of Canberra research to prevent the long term impact of head knocks on skiers and snowboarders will benefit from the insights of professional ski cross racer and University of Canberra student Sami Kennedy-Sim.

Sami Kennedy-Sim is taking part in the study on balance. Photo: Michelle McAulay

Mrs Kennedy-Sim is a first-year Bachelor of Sports Media student and has her sights set on competing in the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games.

The 23-year-old is one of 40 athletes that will take part in the research aimed at identifying the cumulative effects of head impacts on balance in skiers and snowboarders.

The research, by the University of Canberra’s snowsport injury research team, aims to understand how balance can be used to identify head impacts in athletes and builds on a previous project investigating the characteristics of head impacts in children.

“There is a growing understanding that repeated head knocks are causing damage to athletes by reducing cognitive function which could lead to conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease,” research team member Professor Gordon Waddington, said.

“This research aims to understand the mechanisms for early recognition of this change in function and one way we can look at this is through balance,” he explains.

“If we can screen athletes to understand their balance and monitor how it changes over time, particularly after head knocks, we can make a more informed decision on whether or not they should continue putting themselves at risk on the slopes.”

Mrs Kennedy-Sim, who is experiencing her best World Cup season since her debut in 2008 with two fifth place finishes in the FIS World Cup round in Canada, said the research would prove invaluable.

“As an elite athlete competing in a high-risk sport, I am directly affected by this research. We fall quite a bit in this sport and there is currently only one way to assess if we have recovered from the effects of concussion which is taking a baseline test on a computer,” the AIS / NSW Institute of Sport athlete said.

“Skiers often compete soon after a head knock which is a very risky thing to do, so any research that will improve athlete safety is a good thing,” she added.

L-R: Stephen Trathen, Dr Tracey Dickson, Sami Kennedy-Sim and Dr Gordon Waddington. Photo: Michelle McAulay

Researchers will conduct initial balance tests then monitor athletes’ progress over the ski season, re-testing them after a fall. The project will start in June/ July and is expected to take 18 months to complete.

The cross-faculty research team is made up of Associate Professor Tracey Dickson (Faculty of Business, Government and Law), Professor Gordon Waddington (Faculty of Health) and Stephen Trathen (Faculty of Arts and Design) and is funded by the NSW Sporting Injuries Committee.