Smartphone accelerometer-based balance and cognitive screening tool for concussion
The Sway Balance System is a smartphone-based tool that uses the device's built-in accelerometer to measure postural sway while an athlete holds a series of standardized stances, alongside short cognitive tasks such as concentration or reaction drills. It converts movement data into a balance score that can be tracked over time as part of a broader concussion assessment battery.
On the clinic or sideline floor, it gives a quick, low-cost way to flag balance and dual-task deficits that may not be obvious from history or gross observation alone, informing return-to-play conversations. Comparing post-injury scores against the athlete's own preinjury baseline, where available, is more sensitive to subtle change than relying on population norms, which matters when the decision is whether someone is genuinely recovered.
Athletes are typically baseline-tested pre-season by holding stances such as double-leg, single-leg and tandem on a firm surface while holding or wearing the phone, sometimes combined with a brief cognitive task to assess dual-task performance. Post-injury, the same protocol is repeated and the resulting score is compared against the athlete's baseline or, if no baseline exists, against age- and sport-matched normative data, usually as one component alongside symptom checklists, cognitive testing and clinical exam.
Balance scores are affected by fatigue, footwear, testing surface, prior injury and even device or app version, so protocol consistency matters and single time-point comparisons can mislead. It should never be used as a stand-alone return-to-play gatekeeper or diagnostic test for concussion; it is one data point to be interpreted alongside symptoms, cognitive findings and clinical judgement, and normative-data comparisons are a weaker substitute when no individual baseline exists.
This guide was auto-drafted and is pending editorial review.