Concussion Screening

What Is Concussion Screening?

A concussion is a traumatic brain injury caused by a direct or indirect blow to the head or body that results in neurological dysfunction. Proper screening, diagnosis, and return-to-play management are critical to athlete safety — and one of the most important services a sports medicine clinic can provide.

At Alpha Sports Performance Medicine, we use the SCAT-5 (Sport Concussion Assessment Tool, 5th Edition) — the gold-standard concussion evaluation protocol developed by international sports medicine experts. The SCAT-5 provides a standardized, validated framework for evaluating athletes suspected of sustaining a concussion.

The SCAT-5 Protocol

The SCAT-5 assessment includes:

• Symptom evaluation — 22-symptom self-report scale (headache, dizziness, brain fog, etc.)
• Cognitive assessment — orientation, immediate memory, concentration testing
• Neurological screen — cranial nerve, sensorimotor, and coordination assessment
• Balance testing (BESS) — modified Balance Error Scoring System to detect postural instability
• Delayed recall — verbal memory testing from earlier in the assessment
• Glasgow Coma Scale — baseline brain function assessment
• Cervical spine screen — ruling out concurrent cervical injury

The full SCAT-5 takes approximately 15–20 minutes to complete.

Baseline Testing

We strongly recommend baseline SCAT-5 testing before the season begins for all athletes — particularly those in contact and collision sports. A pre-injury baseline provides an individualized comparison point, making post-injury detection far more sensitive and accurate than population norms alone.

Return-to-Play Protocol

Following a concussion diagnosis, athletes are guided through a graduated return-to-sport protocol:

1. Complete rest until symptom-free
2. Light aerobic exercise (walking, swimming) — no resistance training
3. Sport-specific exercise — skating, running drills (no head impact risk)
4. Non-contact training drills
5. Full-contact practice (after medical clearance)
6. Return to competition

Medical clearance at each stage is required before progression. Our practitioners provide written documentation for coaches, athletic trainers, and school athletic departments.

Who Should Be Screened

• Any athlete who sustains a head impact during practice or competition
• Athletes with recurring headaches, brain fog, or balance issues following prior head impacts
• Pre-season baseline screening for football, soccer, basketball, hockey, lacrosse, wrestling, and other contact sports
• Youth athletes, whose developing brains are at higher risk for cumulative concussion effects

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the SCAT-5 test?

The SCAT-5 (Sport Concussion Assessment Tool, 5th Edition) is a validated concussion evaluation tool developed by international consensus of sports medicine experts. It combines symptom reporting, cognitive testing, and physical assessment into a standardized protocol used worldwide.

When should an athlete get screened after a head impact?

As soon as possible. Ideally, screening occurs on the sideline immediately after the incident. Post-game or next-day screening is still valuable for athletes who didn’t receive immediate assessment.

How long does a concussion screening take?

The full SCAT-5 assessment takes approximately 15–20 minutes. Baseline screening (pre-season) takes a similar amount of time.

Can an athlete return to the same game after a concussion?

No. Current sports medicine consensus is clear: any athlete suspected of sustaining a concussion should be removed from play immediately and not return on the same day, regardless of symptom resolution. This is true at all levels of competition.

My athlete feels fine — do they need to be screened?

Yes. Concussion symptoms often have a delayed onset of hours to days. The absence of immediate symptoms does not rule out a concussion. Screening is always recommended when there has been a significant head impact.

Do you work with school athletic programs?

Yes. We work with athletes from all school levels and can provide baseline screening programs, post-injury evaluations, and return-to-play documentation for school athletic departments and sports medicine programs.