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ImPACT TestingIn This Section
 To take the ImPACT test
About ImPACT testingThe Concussion Clinic uses an innovative concussion management program for athletes or individuals who are at risk for a concussion. The program is called ImPACT (Immediate Post Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) and involves an online exam that each athlete takes prior to the athletic season. This baseline test can be administered at a sponsoring facility or taken individually. Retesting every two years is recommended for maturing individuals. Click here for information about taking the test. ImPACT evaluates and documents multiple aspects of neurocognitive functioning, including:
If a person is believed to have suffered a concussion or head injury, the exam is taken again and the data is compared to the baseline (initial) test. This information is then used as a tool to assist in determining the extent of the injury, monitoring recovery, and in making safe return to play decisions. If an injury of this nature occurs, please contact the Concussion Clinic regarding a post-injury test. Even if you have not had a baseline test, it is highly recommended to have ImPACT testing done after a blow to the head. The results, when compared to the norms for your age group, can be helpful in managing your recovery. The Concussion Clinic at Bethesda will hold the results of your ImPACT test in a confidential data bank. We can release the data from your test to a practitioner (doctor or neuropsychologist) at their request should you be seen for a head injury. The test results need to be interpreted by a practitioner familiar with ImPACT testing to help manage recover from a concussion injury and develop a plan for recovery. More about the test
Reaction time is reliably measured to 1/100th of a second across individual test modules (10 modules total) and allows for an assessment of processing speed as the player fatigues. The test battery consists of a near infinite number of alternate forms by randomly varying the stimulus array for each administration. This feature was built in to the program to minimize the "practice effects" that have limited the usefulness of more traditional neurocognitive tests. Where is it used?As Credentialed ImPACT Consultants (CIC), Bethesda's Concussion Clinic is the first to bring this important tool to the Twin Cities in a clinical setting. Founded by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s Sports Concussion Program, the ImPACT software system is used throughout professional sports and has been mandated in the NHL. Used by NFL teams, US Soccer and colleges and high schools across the country, it is fast becoming the “gold standard” in recognizing and managing head injuries. The ImPACT test was designed after approximately 10 years of university-based, grant-supported research. ImPACT is currently the most widely used computerized program of its kind in the world and has been implemented effectively across high school, collegiate and professional levels of sport participation. Why use ImPACT?Managing concussions can be difficult; therefore, individualized and comprehensive management is optimal. At the forefront of proper concussion management is the implementation of baseline and/or post-injury neurocognitive testing. These evaluations can help objectively evaluate an athlete's condition after an injury and track recovery for safe return to play. In fact, neurocognitive testing has recently been called the "cornerstone" of proper concussion management by an international panel of sports medicine experts. To learn moreFor more information about ImPACT testing, visit www.impacttest.com. |