Press Release
Posted
June
11,
2011--
SCOTTSDALE,
Ariz.
— As
knowledge
about
the
dangers
of
concussions
in
sports
continues
to
grow,
Mayo
Clinic
will
make
baseline
concussion
testing
available
at
no
cost
to
more
than
100,000
high
school
student
athletes
in
Arizona
leading
up
to
the
2011-2012
sports
season.
Baseline
concussion
testing
measures
how
the
brain
is
working
before
injury,
and
has
recently
been
recommended
by
the
Arizona
Interscholastic
Association
for
all
scholastic
athletes.
The
Computerized
Cognitive
Assessment
Tool
will
be
available
through
benefactor
support
and
Mayo
Clinic
at
no
cost
to
the
athlete.
The
test
can
be
taken
from
any
computer
with
Internet
access,
takes
8-15
minutes
to
complete,
and
the
athlete
or
parent
can
share
the
results
with
health
care
providers
of
their
choice.
After
a
concussion,
the
test
can
be
repeated
multiple
times,
and
doctors
can
then
monitor
the
results
of
this
test,
along
with
a
medical
evaluation,
to
determine
when
athletes
can
safely
resume
normal
activities
—
and
in
the
case
of a
student
athlete,
when
they
can
return
to
their
sport.
The
baseline
concussion
testing
initiative
comes
on
the
heels
of
the
passage
of
Arizona
Senate
Bill
1521,
which
requires
that
high
school
athletes
who
have
sustained
a
head
injury
be
barred
from
further
physical
activity
until
they're
cleared
by a
licensed
health
care
provider.
The
law
also
requires
schools
to
educate
coaches,
students
and
parents
about
the
dangers
of
concussions.
"The
diagnosis
of
concussion,
assessment
of
its
severity,
and
knowing
when
an
athlete
can
return
to
physical
activity,
competition,
work
or
school
is
not
always
clear,"
said
David
Dodick,
M.D.,
a
Professor
of
Neurology
at
Mayo
Clinic
in
Arizona
and
President
of
the
American
Headache
Society.
"Having
a
baseline
concussion
assessment
for
each
athlete
will
assist
in a
physician's
ability
to
identify
and
quantify
a
change
in
brain
function,
and
determine
when
the
athlete
has
returned
to
his
or
her
baseline."
After
a
concussion,
if
an
athlete
continues
to
play
or
returns
to
play
too
early,
there
is a
significant
risk
of
experiencing
another
concussion,
and
Dr.
Dodick
added
that
"repeat
concussions
may
take
longer
to
resolve,
and
come
with
a
risk
of
permanent
neurological
damage,
or
rarely,
death."
Children,
adolescents
and
female
athletes
appear
to
be
at a
higher
risk
for
concussions,
and
may
also
take
longer
to
recover.
While
the
importance
of
baseline
testing
is
clear,
the
results
should
be
used
with
a
comprehensive
medical
evaluation.
While
the
majority
of
concussions
resolve
relatively
quickly,
some
athletes
may
experience
symptoms
that
may
persist
for
weeks
or
months,
or
longer.
The
medical
care
and
rehabilitation
of
these
athletes
is
best
achieved
by a
multidisciplinary
team
of
health
professionals
with
expertise
in
the
evaluation
and
management
of
concussion.
Providing
this
baseline
assessment
will
also
create
awareness
about
the
importance
of
concussion
and
the
importance
of
safeguarding
the
brain
health
of
young
athletes.
Ultimately,
according
to
Dr.
Dodick,
"this
initiative
will
hopefully
be a
significant
step
toward
having
all
youth
and
adults
throughout
our
state
who
are
involved
in
competitive
or
recreational
sporting
activities
to
establish
a
baseline
concussion
test."
Mayo
Clinic
experts
have
been
working
with
colleagues
at
Arizona
State
University
and
Phoenix
Children's
Hospital
to
develop
and
implement
a
concussion
awareness
strategy
for
the
State
of
Arizona.
"It
is
truly
a
concern
that
the
young
athlete
and
child
may
be
particularly
susceptible
to
concussive
injury
and
that
it
might
have
a
lifelong,
permanent
effect,"
said
P.
David
Adelson,
M.D.,
Director
of
the
Children's
Neuroscience
Institute
at
Phoenix
Children's
Hospital
and
Head
of
the
Pediatric
Neurotrauma
Program.
"Working
with
Mayo
Clinic
and
ASU,
we
feel
we
can
identify
earlier
when
there
has
been
a
change
in
these
kids
and
intervene
so
as
to
minimize
these
effects
and
get
them
back
to
their
lives."
"We
are
pleased
that
ASU
and
the
Mayo
Clinic
are
partnering
to
provide
support
for
the
health
and
wellbeing
of
student
athletes
at
all
ages,"
said
Martha
Christiansen,
Associate
Vice-President
of
Educational
Outreach
and
Student
Services
and
Director
of
Counseling
and
Consultation.
The
renowned
multidisciplinary
teams
at
Mayo
Clinic
along
with
partners
at
Phoenix
Children's
Hospital
and
Arizona
State
University
includes
physicians
and
other
experts
from
Neurology,
Neuroradiology,
Neurosurgery,
Neuropsycholology,
Psychiatry,
Headache
Medicine,
Sports
Medicine,
Physical
Medicine
and
Rehabilitation,
Emergency
Medicine,
Internal
Medicine,
Vestibular
Medicine,
Physical
therapy,
and
Occupational
therapy
for
adults,
adolescents
and
children.
Through
their
coordinated
and
comprehensive
approach,
this
group
has
evaluated
and
treated
athletes
with
concussion
from
the
youth
to
the
professional
ranks.
For
more
information
or
to
obtain
access
to
take
the
computerized
concussion
test,
student
athletes,
parents,
coaches,
athletic
trainers
and
school
athletic
directors
in
Arizona
can
email
concussion@mayo.edu
or
visit
online.
About
Mayo
Clinic
Mayo
Clinic
is a
nonprofit
worldwide
leader
in
medical
care,
research
and
education
for
people
from
all
walks
of
life.
For
more
information,
visit
MayoClinic.com
or
MayoClinic.org/news.
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