What You Should Know About A Baseline Concussion Test in Kansas City
07 June 2020 — Physical Therapy
A baseline concussion test in Kansas City is key to finding the best treatment (and the fastest) if a concussion ever occurred. Specifically, ImPACT testing works for people of all ages to find your unique deficits.
As concussion management physical therapists, our team at F.I.T. Muscle & Joint Clinic have found that ImPACT testing greatly impacts the efficacy of treatments. Keep reading for everything you should know about this innovative baseline concussion test and how it can benefit you.
What is ImPACT testing?
The ImPACT test is a tool that is used as a baseline measure for anyone, especially athletes at the beginning of their sport season. The test includes insight on reaction timing, cognitive focus, and memory recall. The concussion baseline test takes about 30 minutes from start to finish, and it serves as a great tool for clinicians to determine the individual’s deficits with a post-injury test. The baseline test can be administered in office with a trained ImPACT clinician, or there is an option to do the test at home with a special code and instructions sent from the trained clinician.
Why is ImPACT testing important?
Everybody is different. That is why it is helpful to have data on where your baseline is to determine where the true deficits are should a concussion occur. Being able to compare the data from pre-injury to post injury allows us to find the best treatment option and plan of care to get you back to your sport, school, or work setting quicker.
Who should get ImPACT testing?
Anyone can benefit from a baseline concussion test in Kansas City! However, it is more common (and highly suggested) for middle and high school athletes. Sports, especially at this age, give higher risk to concussion due to the body going through changes and growing. Each middle and high school athlete should get an ImPACT baseline test every at least two years. To go a step beyond this, athletes could even get a test every year before the start of their sport season.
What do you do if you have had a concussion and need to get a post-injury test?
First, your coach and/or athletic trainer should send you to a specialist to diagnose a concussion. If you have had a baseline test, it is important to get a post-injury test within a week of the concussion. The post-injury test does not necessarily have to be at the same place you did the baseline test. There are ways to get your baseline data so the clinician can read the data and determine the best treatment options for you!
Learn more concussion baseline tests from F.I.T. Muscle & Joint Clinic
If you’re in the Kansas City area, we’re always willing to help you learn more about concussion baseline tests. We specialize in concussion rehabilitation, and we stay up-to-date on the latest information about ImPACT testing.
