Texas Health Denton

Beating Bell-ringers A jolt. A ding. A slam. A crash. Blows to the body can be painful enough, but when concussions occur, people can take weeks to overcome the resulting brain trauma. Texas Health Ben Hogan Sports Medicine Concussion Centers provide specialty concussion care to prevent long-term complications. A fter a concussion, people often experience headaches, struggle to concentrate and have trouble recalling information, and recovery takes longer in younger individuals. Middle and high school students are more likely than adults to be involved in sports that cause concussions, particularly football or girls’ soccer, so the Ben Hogan Sports Medicine Concussion Centers focus on student-athletes. “Ten years ago, the medical world knew far less about concussions than it knows today, so adolescents who suffered concussions would return to normal activities before they were ready, complicating their recoveries,” says Ken Locker, manager of sports marketing for Texas Health Ben Hogan Sports Medicine Program. “Now, we know that kids need more rest and time for the brain to recalibrate.” Concussion Testing The Ben Hogan Sports Medicine Concussion Centers provide ImPACT™ (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) analysis, a web-based evaluation tool that compares mental function before and after a sports concussion. Athletic trainers and team physicians administer a baseline test to student-athletes at the beginning of a season, so when numbers are compared after an injury, they correspond to individual responses. This is a preferred method rather than using national averages. The ImPACT® test focuses on reaction time and evaluates processing speed to within 1/100th of a second. Administrators can evaluate changes in attention span, non-verbal problem-solving skills and responses to simple questions, providing physicians with a solid basis for prescribing therapy. “When we find that student–athletes have had concussions, we take them out of school and try to keep them away from any mental or physical stimulation — athletics, academics and electronics — that might slow recovery,” explains Jim Sterling, M.D., physical medicine and rehabilitation physician on the medical staff at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas. “We develop plans for academic and athletic reintegration and keep a close watch on the students so we can get them back to school and onto the field when their brains are truly ready.” To access a concussion toolbox for athletic coaches, trainers and teachers, visit TexasHealth.org/BenHogan and click the “Sports Concussions” link. What Is a Concussion? Sports concussions are mild traumatic brain injuries — similar to brain bruises — that cause changes in blood flow within the brain and result in symptoms ranging from headaches and light sensitivity to nausea and memory problems. Each year, more than 3.8 million sports-related concussions occur in the United States, and each concussion makes an athlete more prone to suffer another. The key to concussion treatment is recognizing symptoms of confusion, gait abnormality and dizziness after a physical blow, explains Jennifer Zahn, M.D., physical medicine and rehabilitation physician on the medical staff at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Denton. When these symptoms are present, athletes must visit a medical professional for proper concussion management.

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