Concussions are common injuries in the world of sports, but concussion diagnosis has proven difficult. ImPACT® (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) provides invaluable information that can help take the guesswork out of concussion treatment and management while promoting safe return-to-play decisions for athletes.
ImPACT® is an FDA-approved online test developed to help evaluate an athlete’s recovery following a concussion. It is a neurocognitive test battery that has been scientifically validated to measure visual and verbal memory, reaction time, and processing speed. While traditional neurological and radiological procedures like CT and MRI exams are helpful in identifying serious brain injuries (e.g., skull fractures and hematomas), they are ineffective at identifying the functional effects of a concussion. Consequently, coaches and athletic trainers must often rely on subjective observations or athlete self-reports to diagnose and track a concussion. This is where ImPACT® can help.
As part of our community outreach, PRO-PT has partnered with local high schools to bring ImPACT® testing to athletes of many different sports. We test more than 1,500 athletes per year at no charge to the school or the students.
In the preseason, each athlete is given a baseline test. If a concussion is suspected during the season, a follow-up test is administered to see if the results have changed from the athlete’s baseline. This comparison helps to evaluate and manage the concussion. Follow-up tests can be administered over days or weeks, so coaches, athletic trainers, and physicians can continue to track the athlete’s recovery from the injury. When baseline data are unavailable, ImPACT® has a normative database of thousands of non-injured athletes separated by age and academic level, which can be used for effective evaluations and comparisons. The concussion diagnosis program evaluates multiple aspects of brain function, including memory, processing speed, reaction time, and post-concussive symptoms, potentially reducing the possibility of long-term neurological effects.
Most people tend to think that all concussions require rest to recover. While rest is an important part of recovery, research has shown that active rehabilitation and active treatment of concussion symptoms are excellent ways to treat a concussion.
Every concussion is different and requires a comprehensive assessment to develop an appropriate treatment program. Along with the ImPACT® Computerized Assessment, we utilize a Vestibular and Oculomotor Screening (VOMS) tool to pinpoint the exact deficits that one might be experiencing after a concussion. The results of these tests will guide the treatment program. Our treatment options include oculomotor therapy, vestibular therapy, exertion therapy, and treatment of the cervical spine, whiplash disorders, and headaches to get our patients on the road to recovery and quickly back to their sport.
For more information on ImPACT®, please visit their website.
