At High Performance Health our practitioners are certified with Complete Concussion Management Inc (CCMI). From pre-injury multimodal baseline testing to treatment and rehabilitation, our trained practitioners offer accessible and timely care to support those impacted by concussions.

 

What is a concussion?

 

A concussion is considered a mild traumatic brain injury caused by acceleration or deceleration of brain tissue. This creates a shearing or stretching of nerve cells within the brain causing an imbalance within the brain cells. This results in decreased blood flow and temporary energy deficits within the brain.

 

 

Symptoms experienced following concussion?

 

There are variety of symptoms that can be experienced following a concussion. Some of these symptoms include:

• Headache

• Dizziness

• Pressure in the head

• Nausea/vomiting

• Confusion

• Sensitivity to light or noise

• Drowsiness

 

 

How is concussion treated?

 

No two concussion are alike. Therefore, our expert physiotherapist will perform a comprehensive subjective examination where they will evaluate your signs and symptoms. This will assist them in designing an individualized treatment just for you. The treatment plan will include the following:

• Education for the patient and parents about symptoms and recovery times

• Diet/nutrition/supplementation prescription for optimal brain recovery

• Buffalo treadmill testing to determine sub-symptoms threshold exercises

• Gradual return to school, work, driving, activities and sports protocols

• Chicago Blackhawks tests for high risk athletes to determine their readiness to return to their sport

• Cervical spine treatment which will include manual therapy and exercise therapy.

• Vestibular and oculomotor rehabilitation

 

 

What is Baseline Testing?

A baseline test is a battery of tests that measures various areas of brain function that could potentially become affected following a concussion. It is completed when an athlete is healthy and does not have a concussion. At High Performance Health, baseline testing includes the evaluation of:

 

• Memory

• Concentration

• Visual Processing/Visual Movements

• Reaction Time

• Balance and Proprioception

• Motor Strength

• Neurocognitive Testing

 

Baseline testing is not needed for everyone. It has been used for high level or high-risk athletes. High- risk athletes are those who play contact or collision sports like rugby, AFL, hockey, football, but also those where concussions occur often- like soccer, basketball, skiing and snowboarding.

 

The reason that the test is termed a "baseline" is because it is done before an athlete gets injured. By comparing how an athlete performs on the same tests before and after a concussion we may better know when the athlete has fully recovered.

 

Baseline testing is done prior to the beginning of the sports season and is recommended on a yearly basis.