ImPACT Testing Helps Prevent High School Athletes from Serious Injury

Brendan Calello, 18, of Wayne, was playing a game of hockey, receiving a pass, as he he had since he was 6. Suddenly, he was hit by two players, a player from the opposing team player and a teammate.

Calello, who plays competitively and on Don Bosco Preparatory High School’s team, received a concussion that took six to eight weeks to recover, his father, Michael Calello said. It was his third injury since the start of his hockey career.

“Hockey is a rough sport, and we kept him out a long period of time to ensure he was clear of all his symptoms,” Michael Calello, Brendan’s father, said.

Darren Amerkanian, varsity hockey coach at DePaul Catholic High School, said that he’s seen “too many” players get injured on the ice.

“There’s a point where your brain just doesn’t recover, and it’s seriously tragic when a hockey player can’t play again,” Michael Calello said.

According to Nj.com, in 2009, more than 400,000 concussions occurred nationwide in high school sports alone.

To combat this issue, many high school, college teams, doctors and trainers in New Jersey have implemented ImPACT testing, a series of computerized neurocognitive assessment tools and services that determine an athlete’s ability to return to the sport after a concussion.

“One of the greatest things the [New Jersey State Interscholastic] Athletic Association did was mandate ImPACT testing in high school sports,” Joesph Lennon, athletics director at DePaul said.

ImPACT testing is a computerized, 20-minute test that determines the severity of a player’s concussion and can track recovery. The test involves memory and mind skill questions and was created by independent company ImPACT Applications, Inc.

The trainer administers the test first as a baseline, and then again later, and if the score is lower, the player needs more time out before returning to the game, Lennon said.

ImPACT testing is not a stand-alone tool. Trainers spend time assessing the player’s physical capabilities as well, and some are recommended to rehabilitative doctors.

“We have them do exercises, like go on elliptical, to see if the player gets dizzy and other exercises to get their heart rate up to see what they can physically handle,” Lennon said.

According to the CDC, most people recover quickly and fully after a concussion. However, potential side effects include memory loss, headaches, nausea, blurred vision, balance problems, depression and irregular sleeping. There is no real treatment that heals a concussion, other than rest.

Amerkanian said there were two injured players on DePaul’s team who went through ImPACT testing this season.

 “Before impact testing, all we could do was ask the players if they were alright,” Amerkanian said. “This will definitely stop players from playing again when they shouldn’t be.”