CONCUSSION MANAGEMENT

CONCUSSION MANAGEMENT

Sports Concussion Management

What is a Concussion?

A concussion is a type of mild traumatic brain injury caused by a rapid movement of the brain within the skull. Concussions are often the result of a direct hit to the head but can also result from any blow to the neck, face or body that causes a rotational force on the brain. It may, or more often may not, involve loss of consciousness. During the impact, the brain moves inside the skull. The brain circuits (or cells called neurons) stretch and injure. This impacts the brains ability to function, causing the symptoms of concussion.

Many athletes sustain a concussion and need to sit out a game, a few practices, or even a season. Concussions happen to plenty of non-athletes, too. In fact, millions of people have a concussion each year, and only about half of these are sports related. Concussions can still happen wearing a helmet. 

Most people recover completely within two to four weeks. However, symptoms may last for months.

Click here to read about the top 5 Myths for Sports-Related Concussions.

Symptoms of a Concussion


Symptoms of a concussion may appear immediately or take a few days to appear. The symptoms may change over the course of the injury and can worsen during times of stress. This injury can cause a variety of symptoms such as:

✔ Headache
✔ Neck Pain
✔ Dizziness
✔ Fatigue
✔ Sensitivity to Light
✔ Sensitivity to Noise
✔ Feeling Slow or Sluggish
✔ Nausea and/or Vomiting
✔ Difficulty Concentrating
✔ Memory Loss
✔ Blurred Vision
✔ Feeling More or Less Emotional
What Do I Need to Do if I Think I’ve Sustained a Concussion and When Do I Go to the Emergency Room?

If you think you, or your child, sustained a hit to the head or body and are experiencing any of the above symptoms, it is important you follow-up with a physician and seek treatment as soon as possible. 

Prior to seeing a physician, it is important to have someone with you to monitor for the following signs and symptoms. If you (or your child) are experiencing any of the following signs or symptoms, go to the Emergency Room or Urgent Care as soon as possible or call 911:
  • Severe or worsening headache that does not improve with rest
  • Extreme lethargy or confusion
  • Unrelenting nausea and/or vomiting
  • Seizures 
  • Decreasing awareness or responsiveness or passing out
  • Slurred speech
  • Blood or fluid coming out of the eyes, ears, or nose
  • Trouble breathing
  • Weakness, numbness or tingling in extremities
  • Paralysis in extremities 
If you are caring for someone you suspect has a concussion and he or she becomes unconscious, call 911 immediately.

Sports Concussion Management Program

Request An Appointment Call Us

Our Concussion Management Program utilizes a multidisciplinary approach to diagnose and manage sports-related concussions.

Diagnosing a Concussion
When you visit the team at the Boston Sports Performance Center, we will give you or your child a full, comprehensive evaluation by our concussion care team. This includes answering a variety of questions regarding the injury and the symptoms. You or your child will undergo both a physical and cognitive exam to evaluate the brain’s functional abilities (e.g. we will test memory and balance). We may also perform computerized neurocognitive testing and baseline testing using various monitoring tools.

There are no tests that have been developed yet which diagnose a concussion. Concussions are diagnosed based on your injury history and the evaluation you undergo at the clinic. A CT scan or MRI imaging of the brain cannot diagnose a concussion, there are no visible changes on these tests after a concussion because a concussion affects your brain’s functional abilities, not the brain’s structure. However, sometimes we do use them to rule out other disorders which may be interacting with a concussion.  

Treating a Concussion
Not all concussions are created equal, everyone suffers different symptoms and different length of recovery. Our team of clinicians will put together a personalized treatment plan to get you back to daily activities, school, work and athletics in an individualized manner that works for you. 

Treatment plans are tailored to the individual athlete by a team of:
  • Sports Medicine Physicians
  • Neurologists
  • Neuro-ophthalmologists
  • Neuropsychologists
  • Physical Therapists
  • Athletic Trainers
The team provides the most up-to-date, evidence-based services through post-concussion management and return to sport progressions. Our goal is to ensure every athlete is 100 percent recovered by the time they return to competition and play. 

Baseline Concussion Testing


Baseline concussion testing is a series of physical and cognitive tests that evaluates a variety of body systems prior to an injury. It is a valuable tool in both diagnosing and managing an athlete post-concussion. Our comprehensive baseline concussion battery of testing includes:
  • ImPACT Online Neurocognitive Testing
  • Sports Concussion Assessment Tool - 5th Edition (SCAT-5)
  • mCTSIB via Biodex Balance System SD
  • Vestibular Ocular Motor Screening
Baseline Concussion Testing Pricing
  • Individual: $50  
  • Family: $40 per person
  • Sports Teams and Organizations: Please call 781-591-8191 for pricing

Get Back in the Game

Our goal is to ensure every athlete is 100 percent recovered by the time they return to competition and play.
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