Sanford Sports Concussion Program - Sanford Health

What is a concussion
A concussion is any alteration of mental status due
to sudden and violent rocking of the brain inside of
the skull caused by a traumatic blow to the head or
upper body. Concussion symptoms, lasting various
lengths of time, may include:
n Headache
n Nausea
n Vomiting
n Balance Problems
n Dizziness
n Fatigue
n Trouble falling asleep
n Sleeping more
than usual
n Sleeping less
than usual
n Drowsiness
n Sensitivity to light
n Sensitivity to noise
n Irritability
n Sadness
n Nervousness
n Feeling more
emotional
n Numbness or tingling
n Feeling slowed down
n Feeling mentally
foggy
n Difficulty
concentrating
n Difficulty
remembering
n Visual problems
Symptoms are not always definite and the decision
to allow an individual to return to activity is not
always clear, contact a Sanford Sports Medicine
Physician if any of these symptoms occur.
Sports Concussion
Program Team:
Verle Valentine, MD
Sports Medicine Physician
Sanford Clinic Orthopedics
& Sports Medicine
Tryg Odney, MA, ATC
Sports Medicine Outreach Manager
Sanford USD Medical Center
Sarah Ronning, MA, ATC
Clinical Athletic Trainer
Sanford USD Medical Center
For more information regarding the Sports
Concussion Program at Sanford Orthopedics
& Sports Medicine, call (605) 328-2663.
Sports
Concussion
Program
1210 W. 18th Street
Sioux Falls, SD
(605) 328-2663
500-55400-0064 rev. 1/10

Sports
Concussion
Program
In the United States, the annual incidence of
sports-related concussion is estimated at 1.6 to
3.8 million. Estimates regarding the likelihood
of an athlete in a contact sport experiencing a
concussion may be as high as 19% per season.
Sanford Orthopedics & Sports Medicine
provides concussion management for any
athlete, recreational athlete or non-athlete who
participates in activities that may pose risk
for concussion. The program includes:
n thorough evaluation by a sports medicine
physician with specialty training in the
management of concussions.
n computerized brain function testing
(ImPACT © ) and clinical balance testing.
n individualized management plan.
The goal of this program is to provide comprehensive
sport concussion management services through:
Education
n Information for athletes, parents, and
coaches on concussion injuries.
n Information on signs, symptoms and
injury recognition, course of recovery,
appropriate treatment and care, and
integrating an athlete back to regular
daily activities after a concussion.
Baseline Testing with
ImPACT ©
n
ImPACT Testing – this is a test
which measures brain function.
This test can be completed as a
baseline or pre-injury test or as a post-injury
test. By taking a baseline test, an individual
can have post-injury test scores compared to
their own pre-injury data. The post-injury test
quickly provides a physician with objective
information about the injury severity and can
guide the physician with return to play decisions.
Post Injury Care
and Evalutation
n
n
n
n
Full clinical consultation and clinical evaluation.
Post injury testing (ImPACT © and other
measures as needed).
Written report of findings and recommendations
to the parent, primary care physician, coach and
athletic trainer.
Phone and in-person consultation on an as
needed basis.
Return to Play
Guidance and Support
n
By providing a state-of-the-art, medically based
program with guidelines that support timely and
safe return to play, parents, physicians, school
administrators, and athletic departments have
a greater confidence in the decisions made.
Most athletes who experience an initial
concussion can recover completely as long
as they are not returned to exertion or contact
play too soon. An athlete whose injury is not
managed properly and who returns to play too
soon before the brain has had time to heal is at
greater risk for further, more serious injury.
toLife.
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