ImPACT™

What is ImPACT?

ImPACT is a sophisticated, research-based computer test developed to help clinicians evaluate an athlete's recovery following concussion. ImPACT is a 20-minute neurocognitive test battery that has been scientifically validated to measure the effects of sports-related concussion. In the preseason, each athlete is given a baseline test. If a concussion is suspected during the season, a follow-up test is administered to see if the results have changed from the baseline. This comparison helps to diagnose and manage the concussion. Follow-up tests can be administered over days or weeks so clinicians can continue to track the athlete's recovery from the injury.

Why use ImPACT?

ImPACT can help answer difficult questions about an athlete's readiness to return to play, protecting them from the potentially serious consequences of returning too soon. While traditional neurological and radiological procedures such as CT and MRI are helpful in identifying serious brain injuries (e.g., skull fractures, hematomas), they are ineffective at identifying the functional effects of concussion. Consequently, clinicians must often rely on subjective observations or patient self-reports to diagnose and track a concussion. This is where ImPACT can help.

Conducting baseline and post-injury neurocognitive testing using ImPACT helps to objectively revaluate an athlete's cognitive status to prevent the cumulative effects of concussion. And when baseline data is unavailable, ImPACT has normative database of thousands of non-injured athletes, which can be used for effective evaluations and comparisons.

More information on ImPACT can be found on their website.

What can Nebraska Orthopaedic Hospital do?

The Nebraska Orthopaedic Hospital Foundation has provided ImPACT to numerous athletic programs in the Omaha area and the region. We believe that concussions are a serious concern in sports medicine. By making ImPACT available to thousands of athletes in our area, the risk of serious lifelong injuries will be reduced.

Sign up Your Athletic Program

For more information about Nebraska Orthopaedic Hospital and how we can help provide ImPACT for your athletic program, contact Brad Pfeifer, at 402.609.2801.

Click here for ImPACT Program Implementation FAQs

ImPACT™ information provided by ImPACT applications.