Concussion is a common injury for athletes and is often a difficult condition to diagnose and treat.  Diagnosing concussion has been made easier for Tomahawk athletes, physicians and athletic trainers thanks to a program purchased by the Sacred Heart Hospital Foundation and being used by the Tomahawk School District.

The ImPACT program uses a series of tests done by the athlete on computer including attention span, working memory, sustained and selective attention time, response variability, non-verbal problem solving and reaction time.”  The 20 minute test is administered to athletes annually before they begin to compete, providing a baseline report.  Should the athlete incur a head injury, the test is administered again, looking for changes that may indicate concussion.  Results provide specific information regarding the severity of injury and a standard for evaluating recovery from injury.

Prior to using ImPACT the decision to return an athlete to play following head injury was based on observation and the player’s description of symptoms.  “Identifying and treating concussions has changed greatly over the last few years”, said Chris Orgeman, Licensed Athletic Trainer at Ministry Rehabilitation Services.  “It’s no longer as simple as asking an athlete if he/she can see straight or if he/she has a headache.  We now know that those questions are not enough to diagnose a concussion.”

The management of concussions has also changed.  The athlete no longer returns to their sport when he/she feels good enough to play or the headaches have gone away.  It takes much longer for younger athletes to fully recover from concussion than adults, and the younger they are, the more time they need to heal.  If the athlete returns too early, they put themselves in danger of long-term effects and the possibility of second-impact syndrome.

Dr. Russell Sudbury, Family Practice physician, Ministry Medical Group and Chris Orgeman coordinate the program and administer concussion testing.  300 students, including the majority of all Tomahawk High and Middle School athletes, participated in this year’s ImPACT program.  Twenty-five received post concussion testing.  The ImPACT test is used along with a thorough examination by a physician in both diagnosis and return to play decisions.

“All athletes are required to take the baseline concussion test prior to competition,” said John Larson, Athletic Director at Tomahawk High School. “Use of the ImPACT program means a safer sports season for our athletes.”

Locally, ImPACT is being used in the Tomahawk and Rhinelander school districts.  Baseline tests are performed on all athletes taking part in football (high school and middle school), volleyball, girl and boy’s hockey, wrestling (high school and middle school), girl and boy’s basketball, baseball and softball.  There is no charge to students.  For more information contact Chris Orgeman, LAT at Ministry Rehabilitation Services, 715.453.7740.