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September 14, 2012

Hamilton Medical Center performs baseline concussion testing on local high school athletes

Submitted by Hamilton Health Care System

Hamilton Medical Center’s Sports Medicine Program, which provides certified athletic trainers to eight area high schools, performed baseline concussion testing on more than 950 fall sports athletes and will test winter and spring athletes when these sports begin.

Through a grant partnership provided by Dick’s Sporting Goods, The ImPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) concussion management system was implemented at each school. 

On average, 55,000 football-related concussions occur each year. And research indicates that as many as 40.5 percent of athletes who have suffered a concussion return to action prematurely and set themselves up for more severe injuries.

“As a former player and sports medicine physician, I have seen the long-term consequences of repetitive concussions. This program puts our local high school athletes on par with treatment usually reserved for Division 1 college and NFL teams, and decreases the risk associated with the injuries,“ said Mitch Frix, orthopedic surgeon with Associates in Orthopedics and Sports Medicine.

The ImPACT baseline test is performed online and is designed to measure cognitive functions including attention span, working memory, non-verbal problem solving and reaction time. The athletic trainer at each school coordinated testing efforts.

“You would think getting every athlete would be a difficult task, but, in fact, baseline testing went smoothly, and we are already seeing the benefits of having done the testing. There is always some concern with sending athletes back after concussions and ImPACT gives a very objective result on their return to play status,” said Stephanie Rynas, certified athletic trainer at Northwest Whitfield High.

Frix and Michel Paré, neurosurgeon with Hamilton Physician Group, encouraged each school to participate in the program.

“I am extremely happy that we were able to get this important program off the ground through the hard work of the athletic trainers. Concussions are a part of athletics. When concussions are managed aggressively early, we are more likely to prevent both the incidence of the rare but catastrophic effects of the second impact syndrome and the long-term damage of repeated episodes. We are committed to pursue the program for all athletes at risk for concussions. We will be available to recheck athletes early after incidents and follow them through their recuperation. We also will continue in our efforts to educate athletes, parents and coaches to practice hard but safely, to recognize the signs of a concussion, and as promoted by the CDC (federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and NCAA protocol, to abide by the recommendation ‘when in doubt, sit them out,’” said Paré.  

A player who suffers a possible concussion should be removed from play immediately and take the post-injury test within 24 to 72 hours. Baseline scores are compared to post-injury results and used in conjunction with other factors when determining whether the athlete is ready to return to the field.

 

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