INDIANAPOLIS---The NCAA, in conjunction with the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA), will host a summit on commotio cordis, a syndrome caused by blunt, non-penetrating chest blows that leads to cardiac arrest and often death.

The summit begins at 7:30 a.m. Central time, Monday, August 1, at the NCAA national office in Indianapolis.

The summit will assess the prevalence and risk of commotio cordis among student-athletes, as well as its etiology and practical prevention strategies. Additionally, the summit will convene key stakeholders and researchers who will evaluate existing standards for chest protection equipment and the effect of ball and puck impact to the chest in student-athletes.

Participants will develop a cooperative plan for reducing the risk of commotio cordis in high-risk sports. Agenda topics will include general considerations involving commotio cordis; surviving commotio cordis; organizational concerns; chest protection equipment; a discussion involving legal ramifications; and recommended practices and emergency action plans for at risk sports.

“This summit will allow medical organizations, expert researchers and equipment manufacturers a unique opportunity to collaborate on a national scale as a multi-organizational initiative,” said David Klossner, NCAA assistant director of education outreach. “The NCAA is interested in reducing the incident of this catastrophic injury and by working together we hope to take one step closer to that goal.”

Joining the NCAA and NATA will be experts Mark Link, director, Center for the Evaluation of Athletes at Tufts-New England Medical Center; Jonathan Drezner, team physician, University of Washington; Fred Mueller, director, National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research; Matt Mitten, chair, NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports; and Douglas Zipes, director, Division of Cardiology at Indiana University School of Medicine.

Also attending the summit will be representatives from US Lacrosse, the American College of Sports Medicine, the National Federation of State High Schools Association, American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE), and various equipment manufacturers.