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When 17-year-old Avery Murdock, a wide receiver at Port Neches-Groves High School, was slammed to the ground during the first half of the final playoff game in 2013, he was not about to spend the rest of the game on the sidelines — injured or not. "I saw the exact moment Avery's helmet hit the ground," says Kimberly Pitts, DO, Concussion Program Medical Director at the CHRISTUS Sports Medicine Center – St. Mary and team physician for Port Neches- Groves High School. "He definitely got his 'bell rung,' but he popped right back up, ran back out to play and appeared unfazed. When a player takes a hit that hard, it looks and sounds different. I never took my eyes off of him for the next two plays even though he appeared normal — I had a hunch something was amiss." Dr. Pitts was right. Though Avery's symptoms — repeating himself, having balance issues and seeming out of sorts — were slow to progress, he had sustained a mild concussion and needed the services of the Concussion Management Program. AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL Designed to meet the growing needs of local high school sports program from across the golden triangle's orthopedic community, the Concussion Management Program offers student athletes access to high-tech, sport-specific therapies for injury rehabilitation and recovery. Using the same model as the NFL, the NBA, and other profes- sional and college leagues and organizations, the CHRISTUS Sports Medicine Center – St. Mary and Concussion Management Program keep injured patients and their families from traveling to Houston for treatment. "My wife and I have three boys, and they all play sports," says Mitch Murdock, Avery's father. "It speaks volumes about CHRISTUS Hospital – St. Mary's standard of excellence and their commitment to our children's future health to have a program of this caliber so close. I trusted Dr. Pitts unconditionally when Avery was hurt." ARMS WIDE OPEN With the help of Dr. Pitts and the CHRISTUS Sports Medicine Center – St. Mary and Concussion Management Program, Avery has returned to play and will take the field again this fall as a senior — but he won't be alone. Says Dr. Pitts, "You can bet I will be on the sidelines watching Avery and every other player, on both sides of the ball." For information about the CHRISTUS Sports Medicine Center – St. Mary and Concussion Management Program located inside the CHRISTUS Outpatient Center, call 866.683.3627. VITAL INFORMATION Before the start of the 2013 high school football season, the CHRISTUS Sports Medicine Center – St. Mary and Concussion Management Program invited local players to participate in its concussion baseline testing program. Immediate Post Concussion Assessment and Cognitive (ImPACT) measures a player's preseason baseline reactions and cognitive ability. The results serve as a benchmark to help determine if a player has sustained a concussion and the date on which he can return to play. CHRISTUS Hospital – St. Mary's revolutionary Sports Medicine Center and Concussion Management Program is passionately dedicated to keeping young athletes safe and sound in both body and mind. Kimberly Pitts, DO Avery Murdock with parents Mitch and Mary. Safety on the Sidelines 7 LiveWell | March/April 2014