Texas Sports Medicine Center
Sports Concussion Management Program
A concussion is an injury to the brain common to many sports. 
In the United States, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates there are 300,000 sports concussions among children and adolescents each year. Research is rewriting the rules for the treatment of concussions and what was once considered a relatively benign condition is now recognized as a critical medical issue with distressing, potentially permanent consequences.
Until recently, there were more than 20 different protocols physicians could use to evaluate and manage concussions. In 2001, an international conference on sports concussions was held in Vienna, Austria. The aim of the symposium was to provide recommendations that would improve the care for athletes who sustained concussions through participation in sports. The delegates attending the conference redefined concussion, and established guidelines for the evaluation, treatment, management and prevention of the injury. The consensus from the panel of physicians and researchers was that neuropsychological testing is the cornerstone of concussion evaluation and it contributes significantly to both understanding of the injury and management of the individual.
At the Texas Sports Medicine Center (TSMC) our Sports Concussion Program consists of evaluation of the injured athlete by a physician followed by a neuropsychological testing. The neuropsychological test we use to evaluate cognitive function is called ImPACT. Through ImPACT we are able to evaluate, document and measure various brain functions, including memory, processing speed, reaction time and symptoms. With proper medical care and neuropsychological testing, our physicians are able to determine when an athlete has recovered from a concussion and can safely return sport.
Athletes, especially those who participate in contact sports, should take a “baseline” test prior to the start of their athletic season. The baseline test takes approximately 30 minutes and can be done through the Internet. Taking a baseline is like “giving your brain a physical” and establishes a normal level of cognitive function.
After an athlete suffers a concussion, we recommend a medical evaluation followed by a “post-concussion” ImPACT test. Post-concussion testing should be taken within 48 to 72 hours after the injury. Diagnostic testing may be ordered, such as a MRI or a CT scan, to rule out structure injury to the skull or brain. In spite of the fact that these tests are usually normal, a serious concussion may still have occurred.
If an athlete has not taken the baseline test, ImPACT Inc. has developed norms that can be used to evaluate the recovery process of a concussed athlete. While these norms can be used to monitor recovery they do not replace the value athlete being compared to a baseline test.
The goal of TSMC’s Sports Concussion program is to facilitate the healing of an injured athletes brain and allow for their safe return to athletic activity.
TSMC is a Credentialed ImPACT Consultant (CIC) for the ImPACT program. This certification is obtained by fulfilling the requirements established by the University of Pittsburgh Medicine Center’s Sports Concussion Program.
Click on the CIC logo to register, pay, and take the ImPACT “baseline test”. If you have any questions, please call (281) 351-6300.
