Concussion

Welcome

As the popularity of all sports including contact and collision sports has risen, so has the occurrences of injuries sustained by the athletes who participate in these physically rigorous activities. Broken bones and torn ligaments can be a serious threat to the health of our young competitors, but concussions can be a much more significant and often less recognized injury with a far more devastating and long term effect.  As defined by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), a concussion is a type of mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) that results in disruption of normal brain function. This injury most often occurs from a bump or shaking of the head through violent contact with the ground, an object or another individual.

A Concussed Brain

All concussions are serious injuries that can alter the way the brain functions.  Most do not involve a loss of consciousness but can cause short-term neurological changes. The effects of concussions vary greatly between individuals, and many mild concussions are undiagnosed and unreported.  Concussions can affect the athletes schooling, work and social life, and can cause long-term issues which affects memory, mood, balance and sleep; and in the most severe cases, results in death.  A concussion can occur even when the athlete is using protective headgear. Head injuries are never to be taken lightly, especially with our children, as their developing brains do not recover as quickly from concussions as those in adults.

Our Focus

The focus of our Sports Concussion Program is to educate and assist athletes, parents and coaches in the proper identification, testing and management of concussions. Utilizing advanced neurocognitive assessment tools, force plate technology and comprehensive services allows our specially trained medical staff to guide the recovery of the athlete following a concussion providing a safe return to play, which is vital in helping to protect the future in our young athletes.

State-of-the-Art Resources

The Florida Hospital Sports Concussion Program also offers the same state-of-the-art testing for an individual athlete, whose schools or athletic programs do not yet offer baseline concussion testing.   Offered at highly affordable rates, we are able to administer our tests to individual athletes or an entire team. Consultations, testing and evaluations are offered by appointment or at our convenient walk-in clinic. Appointments are scheduled through our care coordinator. If a concussion is confirmed, we provide the same management resources offered to our partnering organizations to help prevent future injuries and ensure the best possible recovery for every athlete.

Partnership

Partnering with an ever-increasing number of athletic programs across Central Florida, the Florida Hospital Sports Concussion Program provides a comprehensive program including baseline testing, post injury concussion testing and treatment for athletes at any age and level.  For participating schools, our program provides neurocognitive testing software, education for parents, coaches, and staff and priority scheduling. The benefit of our resources is the unique qualifications and comprehensive nature of the sports concussion team.  Additionally, if a concussion is suspected, our skilled clinical staff is able to help manage the course of recovery from initial diagnosis to test administration, provide treatment planning and will provide written clearance to return to practice and play when it is deemed appropriate.