High School Impact Testing?

[CoachJessNHS]

So, this past football season I coached varsity cheer, and I believe my school was one of the first ones where all of the sports were required to take the "Impact Testing" right when school started.. I am just wondering if anyone has had to take it as well? And I'm wondering how effective you all think it really is...

In case you don't know what Impact Testing is, it is a series of tests that determine if you have a concussion...The first test you take is your base line test, which is just done on a computer and you have to pass it. You only have 45 minutes to take it I think? If anyone gets hit in the head, or has any type of injury that has to do with the head, they have to take the test again, and it gets compared to the first base line test. If your score is lower, then the trainer says "you have a concussion...and now you're out for a month" personally I don't see how that is correct!! Has any other school been required to do this?

This season was very hard for my girls because our routine was the hardest it has ever been. Which means the possibility for more injuries. We ended up having 4 concussions...according to this impact test. I completely understand the importance of a concussion, and how if it goes untreated it can lead to life long problems. But I just don't know how I feel about this yet.

 

[cheersafety]

The Impact Test is used by the NFL, MLB and the NHL. It is the standard of care, no athlete in a contact sport should play without it.

 

[CoachJessNHS]

Yeah I know how important it is, it just stinks when my girls get hurt! They would be fine without any symptoms for a couple weeks, get cleared from their doctors, and they just kept failing the computer test!

 

[AScheer]

I've never heard of this before. We don't do it in my area.

 

[cheersafety]

I've never heard of this before. We don't do it in my area.

We offer grants for cheer camps, gyms and groups for FREE concussion baseline testing. Anyone interested can email me at [email protected]

These tests detect neurological problems that an athlete, coach and even a doctor may not see. Brain injuries are the hardto manage because often during healing an athlete may seem symptom free but their brain still needs to rest. If a second impact happens before the brain is healed it can lead to traumatic brain injury(TBI).

I have lived with TBI since I was 9 years old from a car accident that involved a drunk driver. Trust me that no cheerleader wants TBI because they didn't wait another week to go to back to compete.

Despite what cheerleaders are being told, cheerleading is the number one cause of catastrophic head injuries to high school and college female athletes. You will need your brain later, long after cheer is over.

 

[Triple B]

We haven't used this specific test...but there has been a huge push for concussion safety. It definitely sucks in a sport like cheerleading to lose an athlete for a few weeks...you can't necessarily replace a certain person in a routine, but I do believe the safety of these girls is much more important. We've probably jumped the gun and had a few girls seen by their doctors when it might not have been necessary, but I want my girls safe.

 

[mainestarsALLSTARS13]

i live in NH and we had to do the impact testing last spring for the fall season, but fortunately no one on my team got a concussion or head injury, so we haven't had to use to yet

 

[retiredl5cheer]

We do this for our college cheerleading team. One girl failed it over and over for three months. It stinks but sometimes there's a price to keeping athletes safe and healthy.

 

[coach.elle]

We have this at the high school I coach at. I hardly ever need to send girls to the trainer to use it though. We have the "water fountain standard". It works like this: you get hit, you walk over to the water fountain and cry it out if you need to, take a couple deep breaths, if it still hurts when you walk back from the fountain to the mat, you go to the trainer. Usually they are fine and just get back to practice. I always have at least 2 alternates on the team though so if someone does get hurt I have a very eager lady to step up.

 

[redsmom]

Howard County in Maryland required this testing for all athletes, I think this was the first year it was required.

 

[stuntjumptumble]

I had to take it

 

[MissBee]

Our school district requires it starting with 7th grade sports. I think it's great and is so useful to help identify concussions. Many HS coaches are not properly trained to recognize the symptoms of a concussion and will allow an athlete to continue to play/practice.
Does it stink that you had 4 girls who had to sit out this season? yes. But, you have to remember that a concussion is a BRAIN TRAUMA, and you can never be too careful-especially with still growing athletes.

 

[MyssMyst]

Stupid question here, but couldn't the test be affected by other factors? Say I had a bad night of sleep, ugly breakup with a boyfriend, fight with a BFF, bad grade on a test, sinus infection? I sure know that if I stayed up all night cramming for a test that my reaction time wouldn't be as good. How do they weed out true concussions from the epically bad day/being sick/just plain off that day?

 

[MissBee]

Because of the nature of the test, the questions measure cognitive functioning (attention span, focus, working memory, problem solving). Many of these cognitive functions could be lowered in student-athletes with learning disabilities. However, they do take a baseline-when there isn't a suspected concussion, to get the athlete's "normal" to then compare future tests to.

 

[Susan Jilg]

i have never heard of this test but i understand why they have it. safety is very important
BUT of an athletes perspective i would hate to take it, i got two concussions this year in a week, and went back to practice the next day. i probably wouldnt listen to what the machine said. i just cant sit out haha it drives me crazy.

ps. i SOOOO dont recommend this, not very safe, thats just me though.