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Baseline concussion testing

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I have been looking around at the Baseline concussion tests on the web, most want you to pay a small fee, which is fine, just wondering if anyone has done the online test, worth it?

I haven't found any resource in Calgary to get the test done, I will ask the Dr again, after a concuss in Feb and a knock 3 weeks back resulted in minor head pressure for a week, the Dr sent me for a CT scan, all clear! but maybe not nessescary(radiation), I've never had a med-major concussion.

Any ideas? thanks

My brain bouncing around, has me a little freaked about health in 20-30yrs. Dr just don't know enough yet, coupled with the media hype. If I suffer another concuss, I may give up men's league all together, Div 1-2 just isn't completley non-contact.

Can't really pinpoint how many I've actually had, 12 yrs ago in football or hockey if you got knocked in the head, coach asked if you were ok and back on you went.

I've had two minor concussions and a couple other knocks over the last couple years that left me with symptoms for about a week and took 2-3 weeks off after symptoms, wife loves me(maybe) but not enough to wipe my ass at 50.

Going to look at the M11 and the other top end lids, the helmet wont stop the brain from splashing around against the skull, but the V08 doesn't seem like the best protection against a blow.

My ramblings done, any advice on baseline test or helmets would be great.

I'm going to add some links to concussion articles, just read one about eating right after the knock may be helpful.

SCAT2 Assesment and Pocket Card http://www.neurosurgery.net.au/SCAT2.html

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I have been looking around at the Baseline concussion tests on the web, most want you to pay a small fee, which is fine, just wondering if anyone has done the online test, worth it?

I haven't found any resource in Calgary to get the test done, I will ask the Dr again, after a concuss in Feb and a knock 3 weeks back resulted in minor head pressure for a week, the Dr sent me for a CT scan, all clear! but maybe not nessescary(radiation), I've never had a med-major concussion.

Any ideas? thanks

My brain bouncing around, has me a little freaked about health in 20-30yrs. Dr just don't know enough yet, coupled with the media hype. If I suffer another concuss, I may give up men's league all together, Div 1-2 just isn't completley non-contact.

Can't really pinpoint how many I've actually had, 12 yrs ago in football or hockey if you got knocked in the head, coach asked if you were ok and back on you went.

I've had two minor concussions and a couple other knocks over the last couple years that left me with symptoms for about a week and took 2-3 weeks off after symptoms, wife loves me(maybe) but not enough to wipe my ass at 50.

Going to look at the M11 and the other top end lids, the helmet wont stop the brain from splashing around against the skull, but the V08 doesn't seem like the best protection against a blow.

My ramblings done, any advice on baseline test or helmets would be great.

I'm going to add some links to concussion articles, just read one about eating right after the knock may be helpful.

SCAT2 Assesment and Pocket Card http://www.neurosurgery.net.au/SCAT2.html

The ImPACT test is the one used in most pro-sports.

http://impacttest.com/concussion/overview

Here's I piece I wrote on the test a couple months ago:

ImPACT (Immediate Post Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) is a concussion assessment program that is designed to objectively evaluate the effects of concussions. Developed 20 years ago by Pittsburgh physician and brain trauma expert Dr. Mark Lovell in conjunction with the Pittsburgh Steelers’ neurosurgeon Dr. Joseph Marron, the program includes a 25-minute long computer based baseline test which measures memory and reaction time-two things that are compromised with a brain injury. The baseline test can be done on a computer at home or at school or anywhere the participant has access to the internet.

A follow up test is administered once an athlete is completely symptom free . This test is dministered by a ImPACT trained health care provider in a controlled environment with the results compared to the baseline test. The computer can detect minute discrepancies between the baseline test and the follow up test so that even if the patient feels physically fine, any lasting effects to cognitive function can still be detected.

The ImPACT program also incorporates the 2008 Zurich guidelines as part of the protocol.. Named after the 3rd International Conference on Concussion in Sport held in Zurich in November , 2008, these guidelines lay out a specific graduated return to play progression. It starts with complete physical and mental rest and gradually increases the levels of exertion until the athlete is able to return to play. The patient should not progress to the next level until they are completely symptom free. If the patient should display any symptoms at any stage of this progression, they must return back to the first stage of complete rest and begin again. Ideally, the progression should take a week to complete. It is after this progression that the follow up test is taken. Recent news reports of Sidney Crosby have described his progress through these steps.

“We go one step further by incorporating neurocognitive testing and follow up to that”, says John Chehade, the director of sales and marketing for for ImPACT’s sole Canadian office located in London, Ontario. Chehade personally set up the program at McMaster University where members of the football, rugby and hockey teams now follow the protocol. The London office has also been responsible for training all participating physicians in Southern Ontario.

The ImPACT program is currently mandated by the NHL, AHL, OHL,NFL, MLB, and MLS.

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I haven't found any resource in Calgary to get the test done, I will ask the Dr again, after a concuss in Feb and a knock 3 weeks back resulted in minor head pressure for a week, the Dr sent me for a CT scan, all clear! but maybe not nessescary(radiation), I've never had a med-major concussion.

Having gone through this just over a year ago, take off a lot of time. Don't even think of doing anything contact related for a month and see how you feel. If you feel better than you did at the start, take off another month. I did all kinds of stupid things when I had my concussion and it didn't help me one bit.

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My high school was just starting to phase them in as I graduated, they were given with a physical and then once a suspected head injury occurred. I believe they are mandatory now.

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The StopConcussions app uses the King-Devick test, which is quite well respected as being a sideline test. The app is free, but you have to pay about four or five dollars for the test, with the money being donated to the StopConcussions program, which is founded by Keith Primeau and Kerry Goulet and is actually going live tomorrow.

One thing I don't know for sure, however, is whether baselines only work within like tests. In other words, the Impact program has a great reputation, but I don't believe it's designed for a sideline analysis, so it might be best to also use the King-Devick test for a baseline in the event a sideline test is needed later.

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Like Chadd said, better safe than sorry. If you think you have one or something doesn't feel right, get off the ice and see a doc. That's what i did when I thought I had one and I don't regret it one bit, especially since I'm 21 and don't intend on living the rest of my life with head issues because I wanted to play 2 or 3 more games of hockey.

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The StopConcussions app uses the King-Devick test, which is quite well respected as being a sideline test. The app is free, but you have to pay about four or five dollars for the test, with the money being donated to the StopConcussions program, which is founded by Keith Primeau and Kerry Goulet and is actually going live tomorrow.

One thing I don't know for sure, however, is whether baselines only work within like tests. In other words, the Impact program has a great reputation, but I don't believe it's designed for a sideline analysis, so it might be best to also use the King-Devick test for a baseline in the event a sideline test is needed later.

The ImPACT test is designed to let an athlete know if they are good to return to competition and is administered when the person is symptom free. It is designed to catch possible lingering effects that may not present themselves in an obvious manner like a headache or nausea. Bottom line is, the ImPACT is useless if the athlete is not removed from play after a concussion and there is a huge grey area there. Any of the sideline tests like the SCAT2 can be administered to get an idea if there is reason to believe there is a concussion. Again, it's the mentality around the issue that is key. If the athlete says he is fine and lies about possible symptoms then the test is skipped. We need to get to the point where either we accept the fact that does not make you any more of team player or tougher if you continue to play after a blow to the head . That mentality needs to change. The other way to address it is what the NHL is attempting to do where any player who appears to have suffered a blow to the head MUST go to the quiet room where a doctor can determine the situation. However, that doesn't seem to be enforced from what I have seen from NHL playoff games of late.

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We need to get to the point where either we accept the fact that does not make you any more of team player or tougher if you continue to play after a blow to the head . That mentality needs to change. The other way to address it is what the NHL is attempting to do where any player who appears to have suffered a blow to the head MUST go to the quiet room where a doctor can determine the situation. However, that doesn't seem to be enforced from what I have seen from NHL playoff games of late.

That would require the NHL to do something like banning team doctors that allow it to happen or suspending trainers without pay as well as fining teams very heavily.

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