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Basic information about concussion signs, symptoms, and recovery

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How cognitive and sideline testing are used

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Risks of returning to contact too soon

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General guidelines for return-to-play decisions

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Contact sports players take a pre-season computerized test to establish their baseline level of memory, reaction time, and processing speed.

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ImPACT^© (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) is the best researched and most widely used software for this purpose.

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Concussions can be difficult for athletic trainers and coaches to diagnose effectively in the heat of a contest.

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Teams are trained in the use of a standard sideline test that screens for common concussion symptoms and cognitive dysfunction.

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Effective sideline evaluation helps identify players who need to be protected from the risk of further traumatic injury.

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Computerized testing is repeated in the days following the concussion, tracking the athlete’s recovery from concussive symptoms.

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This test is read by a credentialed neuropsychologist who is also available to interview and clinically evaluate the player to monitor his or her recovery.

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Knowing that symptoms have fully cleared and that cognitive testing is back to the athlete’s baseline functioning provides the best assurance that the student athlete is ready to return to full contact without undue risk of complications.

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Deciding when an athlete who has had a concussion is ready to return to a contact sport is often difficult for even experienced athletic trainers, coaches, and personal physicians. Parents rely on the judgment of these professionals.

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By the school providing a state-of-the-art, medically based program with clear guidelines that support timely and safe return to play, school administrators, athletic departments and families can feel greater confidence in these decisions.