The BKT United Rugby Championship has entered an agreement with med-tech company PolarCool to introduce the use of new medical cooling caps, PolarCap, on players who have suffered concussive injuries.
Over the next year one team in each of the participating BKT URC countries – Connacht, Edinburgh, Scarlets, Vodacom Bulls and Zebre Parma – will take part in the initial use of the PolarCap®.
This current feasibility study is focused on the treatment effect of PolarCap® on concussed players. It is a portable medical cooling cap that is used in the acute phase of injury, it is intended to reduce elevated brain temperature, and the associated metabolic demand in the brain after a concussion occurs in sports.
The device has previously been clinically evaluated in a five-year study conducted by Lund University in partnership with the Swedish Ice Hockey League, which recorded promising data for reducing the number of prolonged concussion compared to concussed players who did not use the treatment.
The initiative in this space continues an ambition of the BKT URC to work in partnership on research projects that can aid the detection and treatment of concussive injuries.
To date, the BKT URC has supported several instrumented mouth guard trials, the latest one with HITIQ, and has introduced a saliva testing trial with Marker Diagnostics across the competition.
“In August 2023 it was a pleasure to host a meeting in Edinburgh, attended by a number of the world’s leading Medics in Rugby, Concussion, and Hypothermic Medicine as well as BKT URC and PolarCool management,” said Dr Michael Dunlop, United Rugby Championship Medical Advisor and Chair of the league’s Medical Sub Committee.
“The outcome of which was a shared opinion that it would be good scientific due process to further study the treatment effects of cooling acute concussions in elite rugby with PolarCap®. This current agreement is an essential first step to that.”
“It feels fantastic to have finally achieved this goal,” added PolarCool CEO Erik Andersson.
“The United Rugby Championship led by Medical Advisor Dr Michael Dunlop has conducted a thorough due diligence of the evidence surrounding hyperthermia, concussion, and cooling as a treatment.”
“We now look forward to continued cooperation for a potential wider implementation and also working towards a research project in collaboration.”
