Concussions are an unfortunate possibility in many sports and soccer is no exception. ImPACT is a neurocognitive test used to establish a personal baseline in the case of a concussion. ImPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) is “the first, most-widely used, and most scientifically validated computerized concussion evaluation system” (from the ImPACT website). It consists of a 20-minute test that includes memory, processing speed and reaction time analysis. If a player gets a concussion, the baseline is a useful tool to help medical professionals decide when it’s okay to return to play. All athletes playing contact sports at Lexington High School as well as many other high schools and colleges are using the ImPACT test; athletes can be tested even if they’ve already had a concussion. Anyone age 11 or older can be tested.
The test takes under an hour and costs $25. It’s given at Children’s’ Hospital, both Waltham and Boston locations, on the last Friday of each month. Call Kevin at the Children’s Hospital Division of Sports Medicine, 781-216-1328, to make an appointment. For more information, go to www.kidssportsmed.com (Sports Concussion Clinic tab), http://www.childrenshospital.org/clinicalservices/Site1172/mainpageS1172P35.html or www.impacttest.com.
