The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Get your little athletes tested
Concussions, especially among young athletes, are the hot topic among sports-related injuries these days. A staggering amount of statistics concern concussions, a lot specifically with recurring concussions.
According to one study, the Centers for Disease Control stated that sports concussions have reached an epidemic level in the United States.
In an effort to educate and hopefully prevent repeated concussion-related injuries in Crested Butte, the Crested Butte Community School and the Crested Butte Parks and Rec Department are teaming up to conduct an ImPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) program in August. Thanks to Dick’s Sporting Goods, the initial testing is free.
“We’re doing this for the safety of the children of Crested Butte,” says Parks and Rec program director Lauren Alkire.
The ImPACT test takes approximately 20 minutes to complete. The program measures multiple aspects of cognitive functioning in athletes, including attention span, working memory, sustained and selective attention time, response variability, non-verbal problem solving and reaction time.
“It tests basic cognitive stuff that is specific to the individual,” explains Dr. Tom Moore. “It’s not an IQ test.”
Once each athlete’s benchmark, or baseline, has been set, it can be used for comparison following a head injury.
“Physicians can look at that test and see how far off the athlete is and continue taking the test throughout the rehab process,” explains Alkire. “Concussions happen. This is an additional tool that physicians can use.”
Dr. Moore adds that it can help clear the air when coaches and parents are trying to decide if a student is ready to return to athletics. Dr. Moore understands that oftentimes an athlete will say he or she is okay to play; even industry standard protocols in place can help with the decision. The ImPACT program takes the decision-making process to another step.
“There are some gray areas,” explains Dr. Moore. “Concussions are a big deal now and hopefully this will give coaches the means to determine if a kid is ready or not—a test you take and try to give some credence whether or not a kid is truly back at their baseline.”
Dr. Moore has been a part of bringing the ImPACT program to Crested Butte and Alkire will look to other local physicians to help implement the testing program.
“We have not reached out to the rest of the physicians in the valley yet but we hope to get everyone on board,” says Alkire.
Every middle school and high school athlete needs to be tested prior to the start of athletics. The plan is to conduct testing for high school athletes August 6-10 and middle school athletes August 13-17.
If, for some reason, parents cannot get their kids tested during those dates, alternative dates can be arranged, but timeliness is key.
“There will be opportunities for make-up tests but we prefer to get this done prior to the start of the fall sports season,” says Alkire. “For the results to be accurate, the testing needs to occur prior to the student’s participation in impact sports.”
While the test is not required for student participation in athletics, it is “strongly recommended” and the results of the test can be used as a benchmark for the next two years.
For more information on the ImPACT program check out crestedbutterec.com and contact your local physician.
