Sports Concussion Assessment and Management

William P. Meehan, III, MD, Director of the Sports Concussion Clinic at Boston Children's Hospital, recommends both baseline balance and computerized neurocognitive testing for athletes playing sports with high concussion risk, but two 2012 studies suggest that comparing a concussed athlete's scores on post-concussion neurocognitive tests to those of athletes of the same age and gender is sufficient for purposes of concussion management and return-to-play decision-making. 

The response to a head or neck injury in sports depends on the severity at the moment. More serious injuries should be ruled out before assessing an athlete for concussion, says Dr. William P. Meehan, III, MD, Director of the Sports Concussion Clinic at Boston Children's Hospital.

The difference between a concussion sign and a concussion symptom is that a sign of concussion is one that can be noticed, seen or observed while a symptom is something only the athlete feels or experiences.

After a sports concussion physical and mental (e.g. cognitive) rest are keys to recovery, says Dr. William P. Meehan, which means no video games, homework, or other activities that tax the brain and force it to work extra hard.