At UPMC Sports Medicine, we use concussion baseline testing as a tool to help manage athlete concussions.
Concussion baseline testing looks at how your brain functions in a normal, healthy state.
We can give this concussion test for kids as young as 5. While anyone can take the test, it’s most helpful for athletes because they have a higher risk of getting a concussion.
Register for Concussion Baseline Testing
Athletes take the test, called ImPACT, when they don’t have concussion symptoms. Ideally, you would take the test before your sports season starts. (Whether athletes take the test yearly or every other year depends on their age.)
Then, if you get a concussion, your doctor gives you the test again and compares the results against your earlier test. Since concussion doesn’t show up on CT scans or MRIs, this test is one of the only measurements we have.
Concussion experts who are at UPMC developed ImPACT, and it’s the test sports medicine programs all over the world use.
We offer the test at multiple locations. We also offer free testing through HeadsUP each summer, courtesy of the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation.
Schedule your ImPACT Concussion Baseline Test or call 412-432-3635.
Complete the pre-testing form (PDF).
ImPACT stands for immediate post-concussion assessment and cognitive testing. You take the test on a computer, and it takes about 20 minutes.
ImPACT tests your verbal and visual memory and your brain processing and reaction time. At the end of the test, you get a score.
ImPACT doesn’t diagnose a concussion. Instead, doctors use it as a tool to help manage concussions. If you suffer a concussion, having a baseline score to compare against helps your doctor decide:
Children ages 10 and up take the adult ImPACT test. We also have a pediatric version for kids ages 5 to 9.
To understand more about the ImPACT test and how it’s changed concussion testing in sport, visit ImPACT Applications, Inc.
At the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program, we treat many young people (and people of all ages) who haven’t taken an ImPACT test. This data is never a determining factor in getting care.
Even without baseline data for comparison, we can still create a customized care plan for your child.
Playing sports or even doing certain jobs can increase the risk of concussion. We want to do everything we can to keep athletes safe. But if concussion does happen, we also want to make sure we have the right tools to help them heal.
With a world-renowned concussion program, UPMC has long been a pioneer in concussion testing and treatment.
Some of the testing services we offer includes:
We offer baseline concussion testing throughout western Pa. for:
We recommend ImPACT testing:
To create the pediatric ImPACT test, we adapted the adult version to be age-appropriate for younger children. One parent stays with the child during the entire test.
Learn more about scheduling your young child for a pediatric ImPACT test.
HeadsUP Pittsburgh is a partnership between UPMC Sports Medicine and the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation to offer free or discounted baseline concussion testing each summer.
Athletes in every sport can sign up for testing through this program. Learn more about HeadsUp Pittsburgh.
Baseline testing gives us the measure of your healthy brain. Post-concussion testing can help us measure how your brain responds to a concussion.
We use the baseline data as part of the post-injury exam. We may also conduct other brain function tests to help manage your unique case.
Learn more about the ways we treat concussion.
UPMC Sports Medicine certified athletic trainers help young athletes stay safe through equipment fitting. We can verify that the equipment is fitted according to manufacturer guidelines and national safety standards.
We can fit helmets, protective facemasks, shoulder pads, and other protective gear for young athletes. Learn more about our equipment fitting program.
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