Free Baseline Concussion Tests Announced For Loudoun Student-Athletes

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — High school athletes in Loudoun County can receive a free baseline concussion test courtesy of Inova. Loudoun County Public Schools announced the partnership, which will serve up to 14,000 student-athletes, on Thursday.

School officials said the free baseline tests will be conducted before student-athletes start any practice for the season. Experts hope the baseline tests will make it easier to diagnose and manage concussions.

Melissa Womble is the co-director for Inova's concussion program.

"This initiative will improve concussion care along the entire patient journey, and help improve outcomes in the long run," Womble said in a news release. "We frequently observe, and our research supports, that student-athletes with undetected concussions continue to play, delay clinical care, and are prescribed antiquated management recommendations, ultimately experiencing worse recovery outcomes."

Womble noted that she hopes the program will help keep student-athletes safe and enable them to get back on the field quickly.

The baseline concussion tests use a computer program to measure a student-athlete's cognitive function before they step foot on the field. If a student-athlete gets injured, medical professionals can use the original test as a marker to measure progress or regression during recovery.

Derek Farrey is the assistant director of athletics and extracurriculars for Loudoun County Public Schols.

"We are extremely grateful to Inova for their dedication to our student-athletes,” Farrey said. "Their expertise will help every high school athlete in the LCPS system, including, for the first time, non-contact athletes in sports who are also susceptible to concussions, to obtain baseline concussion testing before their respective seasons."

The University of Pittsburgh Medical center estimates that 20 percent of high school athletes in contact sports will suffer a concussion in any given year. Football, girls' soccer, and girls' basketball see the most concussions.

Loudoun County Public Schools is hosting a webinar on concussions on Thursday, Sept. 21. The webinar is free and open to the public.