Competitive sports have become more of a fixture today. However, participation in sports is not without risk – be it at high school, college, professional, national, or even recreational level. Sports injuries such as concussions, traumatic brain injury, coma, etc. are common in athletes resulting in severe neurological changes. The best way to beat these brain injuries is to prevent them — by taking advantage of pre-season screening and testing.
American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine, a non-profit global association of rehabilitation physicians and professionals, sheds light on how pre-season testing can identify the risk of brain injuries in athletes.
Assesses Balance and Brain Function
Pre-season testing involves different exams that assess the presence of pre-existing symptoms of a brain injury. The balancing and functioning abilities of a player are determined by testing the learning and memory skills, the ability to concentrate, and the capacity to think and solve problems quickly. It safely provides a snapshot of the athlete’s brain function in a normal, non-injured state.
Prevents the Injuries from Worsening
A traumatic brain injury can have varying severity on a person. Some get unconscious or bad headaches with altered levels of alertness while others feel a serious impact on their memory, judgment, reflexes, speech, balance, coordination, and even sleep patterns. A pre-season test cannot prevent brain injury from existing. However, it helps in the timely diagnosis of injuries. It works best in cases where athletes with existing medical conditions return to the field. The assessment can accurately tell whether the player should resume playing or not.
A Qualified Technique for Definite Results
Pre-season testing or baseline testing is a qualified health technique conducted by trained medical professionals. Its results accurately define if an athlete has a suspected brain injury. Moreover, they function as base results to compare the post-injury test results to identify the effects of the injury and make more informed decisions.
Accessible and Inexpensive Solution
Baseline testing is already a standard procedure in college and professional sports. It is a relatively easy test that can be incorporated into one visit. Making it a yearly or biyearly project doesn’t cost too much making it an accessible and convenient solution for everyone. Head injuries can have devastating consequences. If pre-season testing can help prevent them, it should be adopted for every athlete.
ACRM, or the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine, is a growing professional association in physical medicine and rehabilitation improving the lives of disabled people. We extend brain injury rehabilitation to athletes via their practice-based research. Visit our website to know more about their cognitive rehabilitation techniques.
