The winter sports season is over, and summer is almost here, meaning it’s a crucial time for athletes to rest, recover and plan their upcoming season. It’s also the perfect time to take what’s known as a Concussion Baseline Test.
A hit to the head or upper body can cause the brain to quickly move along the inner walls of the skull, resulting in a loss of consciousness or temporary cognitive symptoms like nausea and vomiting. It is reported that 80% of intracranial injuries in 2021-22 were concussions, sparking concerns about the long-term health ramifications of sports games (Concussion in Sport Australia, 2024). Although symptoms generally last briefly, concussions can result in bleeding around the brain, causing prolonged confusion, drowsiness and physical pain, limiting your ability to learn, work and carry out daily activities.
How can we help you?
Thankfully, our experienced physiotherapists have treated plenty of clients with concussions at varying levels of severity. Our practice offers what’s known as Concussion Baseline Testing, which compares your brain’s function before and after the concussion to assess the gravity of the injury and advise other health practitioners, including your doctor, on how we can get you back into top health.
How it works
Our state-of-the-art neurocognitive tests involve various physical tests examining dynamic and static balance skills and mental tests, where we investigate your processing speed, reaction time, and memory. Our new Neuroflex VR Goggles also assess your eye health, a critical indicator of brain health. From here, we retrieve data points, which we store in case you return and need a re-test to compare your functionality. Analysing and comparing pre and post-concussion results means we can accurately track when individuals have returned to their pre-concussion markers and are safe to return to sport.
Why Athletes Should Have Baseline Concussion Testing
What if I don’t have a Baseline Test?
Although getting a baseline test for accurate tracking is best, we can still test your brain and compare your results to people similar to you through our extensive data files.
Who should get one?
We welcome anyone to get tested, especially children and teens who play contact sports, though we stress the importance of testing to all those playing high-impact sports. Rugby, AFL and soccer players are at an extremely high risk of getting a concussion, and we highly recommend getting tested. With mandatory testing being enforced for AFL players, we expect and encourage baseline testing to be required for all sports players.
How do I organise a Baseline Test?
Book online through our website here or simply call (02) 4721 7798 to request your 15-minute consultation in our Penrith or Rouse Hill practice at the start of the sporting season. Be well-rested and hydrated to ensure we retrieve the most accurate data points about you.
At Progressive Sports and Spinal Physiotherapy Penrith, we are able to assess, treat, educate and manage all musculoskeletal injuries. We focus on hands-on treatment, exercise prescription and self management techniques tailored to your specific needs. We utilise evidence based treatments to maximise your outcomes.
USEFUL LINKS
CONTACT US
Elin, is an alumni of St. Edward’s University and holder of a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology, furthered her academic journey by attaining a Doctor of Physiotherapy from Macquarie University in 2022.
Her passion for sports, particularly football (soccer), is evident in both her academic pursuits and personal endeavors. Specialising in the comprehensive well-being of athletes, Elin focuses on restoring them to peak performance while actively preventing future injuries.
Elin’s professional expertise is centered on musculoskeletal rehabilitation, with a specific emphasis on addressing and preventing knee injuries. Her approach integrates expert treatment with a commitment to educating and empowering patients, fostering their active involvement in enhancing their health and overall quality of life.
As an active participant in NPL football with SD Raiders, Elin brings firsthand experience and a profound understanding of the sport’s demands. Beyond the field, she extends her influence by contributing sports coverage over the weekends.
Christopher (Chris) Han graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor’s Degree in Occupational Therapy, and then completed the Doctor of Physiotherapy program at Macquarie University in 2018. Chris is currently undertaking his PhD at the University of Sydney and Institute for Musculoskeletal Health in the field of low back pain and is due to complete this in early 2024.
Chris is currently an assistant Physiotherapist for the NRL Referees. Chris has previous experience as the head Physiotherapist at Panthers Premier League Netball and a number of elite sporting athletes in the private setting.
Through Chris’ experiences, he has a particular interest in all areas of the body and musculoskeletal physiotherapy, sports, vestibular rehabilitation, and Men’s Health (pre and post prostate surgery).
Suzanne graduated from Western Sydney University with a Bachelor of Health Science (Sports and Exercise Science) in 2015. She then went on to continue her studies at Macquarie University graduating from the Doctor of Physiotherapy post-graduate degree in June 2019.
Since graduating, Suzanne has worked in the local Penrith area in both private practice and Sports Physiotherapy. Suzanne has worked with sporting teams including Penrith District Netball Association, Mt Druitt Rangers (NPL), Penrith Valley Figure Skating Club, and local dance and cheer schools.
Suzanne has a particular interest in working with artistic athletes including cheerleaders and dancers. She has a professional background in both cheer and dance and has previously worked as both a cheer coach and dance teacher. Suzanne’s previous experiences are an invaluable resource to her as a physiotherapist, as she has a thorough understanding of the level of physical fitness and skill acquisition that these athletes must have in order to be successful on stage and in competition.
Suzanne’s other areas of clinical interest reside in lower limb musculoskeletal injuries, spinal pathologies and women’s health.
Nathanial graduated as a physiotherapist in 2012 which saw him work in private practice and hospital settings gaining experience in all areas of physiotherapy including hand therapy, splinting/casting, pre/post-operative care, Men’s Health and general musculoskeletal, occupational and sports physiotherapy. Since then he has gone on to complete further studies in physiotherapy enabling him to be the only dual titled Musculoskeletal, Sports and Exercise Physiotherapist in Penrith.
Nathanial has a strong background in sports physiotherapy achieving accreditation with NSWIS as a service provider and working with many elite sports teams.
Nathanial has a particular interest in working with elite athletes, complex cases and in particular assessment and management of knee, hip and shoulder pain.
Andrea graduated from the Australian Catholic University completing her Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science in 2018 and Master’s of Clinical Exercise Physiology in 2020. After graduating she attained accreditation with ESSA as an Exercise Physiologist.
During her studies she gained clinical experience in both hospital and private practice settings, in cardiac rehabilitation, neurological conditions, cancer and chronic musculoskeletal injuries.
Since working at Progressive, Andrea has a specialist interest in treating musculoskeletal injuries, helping people in the mid-late stage of rehab to get them to return to sport or work. As well as helping people manage chronic conditions such as arthritis, osteoporosis and diabetes.