Ocean City Doctor Offers Concussion Tests for Middle School Athletes

Brian Sokalsky, D.O. of Jersey Shore Sports Medicine (JSSM) in Ocean City is now offering the imPACT concussion test system to athletes age 11 and up who play contact sports, including middle school sports teams.

The system is a 20-minute test administered at a computer can measure the effects of a concussion, a traumatic brain injury that is typically difficult to diagnose with traditional neurological and radiological procedures such as CT and MRI.

“CT scans and MRIs are helpful in identifying serious brain injuries like skull fractures and hematomas, but they are not effective at identifying subtle changes in cognitive functioning,” Sokalsky said. “ImPACT is a computerized neurocognitive test that has been scientifically validated to measure the effects of a concussion. It can help answer questions about an athlete’s readiness to return to play or return to school, protecting them from the potentially serious consequences of returning too soon.”

Players complete a 20-minute baseline test to measure current cognitive functioning. Then if a concussion is suspected, they bring the printout of the baseline test to the doctor’s office to be retested. The test results are then compared.

The ImPACT test is used by more than 200 professional sports teams, including the majority of teams in the National Football Leagues, Major League Baseball and the National Hockey League as well as 1000+ universities and 7,400+ high schools.

Eastern Regional High School in Voorhees uses the system in all sports.

Amid the controversy surrounding the issue of concussions currently being filed against the NFL and the NCAA, Gov. Chris Christie signed legislation that requires high school coaches to remove players from athletic events the moment they show any sign of concussions.

Jersey Shore Medicine charges $20 for the test, and appointments are required.

Jersey Shore Sports Medicine is located at 801 Central Avenue, First Floor, Unit A, Ocean City, N.J. For more information, contact Dr. Brian Sokalsky at (609) 545-8553 or info@jerseyshoresportsmedicine.com or visit www.JerseyShoreSportsMedicine.com.