Sports Concussion Management
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Expert Concussion Care for Athletes
The Sports Concussion Program has been developed for the New Hampshire seacoast community to evaluate, manage, and safely return athletes to their sports. We also treat non-athletes with similar injuries.
The concussion team consists of providers from Core Physicians and dedicated specialists from the Exeter Hospital’s Rehabilitation Department, including sports medicine physicians, neurologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech and language pathologists, and certified athletic trainers.
Joseph Bernard, DO, is the leader of the Concussion Team. He is a team physician for many local high schools as well as youth sports club and organizations, and a Certified ImPACT Consultant (CIC).
The team follows the International Consensus Guidelines for evaluation and treatment of concussions, as well as recommendations for return to learn, work and sports. This includes use of a neurocognitive test (ImPACT) when indicated.
If you or your child have sustained a concussion and want to schedule an evaluation, please contact the Core Orthopedics office at 603-777-1000.
Baseline Neurocognitive Testing
ImPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) is a computer-based program designed to establish a “baseline” of an individual’s neurocognitive function at the start of a sports season.
A comparative post-injury test can be used along with symptom recovery and normalization of the clinical exam to help evaluate the concussed athlete to determine when they are safe to return to play.
Most schools and many clubs use ImPACT testing to establish a baseline for their athletes at the start of the year. We offer baseline testing to those who may not be getting it elsewhere and would like to have their athlete tested.
It is important to know that baseline testing is not a test to determine if you have a concussion, but to establish baseline neurocognitive function only.
Services We Provide
Services we offer through the Sports Concussion Program include:
- Preseason Baseline ImPACT testing
- Post-injury ImPACT testing and interpretation by our team of experts
- Evaluation and recommendation for return to play or work
