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Welcome to a place where you can learn about Mayo Clinic’s recommended concussion protocols, read articles from the concussion team, patient stories and more. Follow the Concussion page to receive email notifications when new posts are published. Post a comment and share your thoughts.
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OUR SERVICES
Mayo Clinic experts evaluate and treat more than 1,300 people with concussion each year. Our specialists combine their skills and passion to provide the most researched and validated concussion care in;
ARIZONA
Mayo Clinic Arizona provides a comprehensive sports concussion program designed for adults and youth from 8 years old and up. Concussion services include:
Pre-participation Education and Testing
Mayo Clinic Arizona offers two levels of preseason concussion assessments that can be managed by 1-2 parent volunteers per team.
- Level 1: Concussion Check Training and King-Devick Test in association with Mayo Clinic
- Level 2: Concussion Check Training, King-Devick Test, and Cognigram computerized cognitive assessment
Mayo Clinic Concussion Check Training
Less than 50% of high schools in the United States have a single athletic trainer to oversee multiple sports at one time. In addition, the majority of sports are played at the youth level where qualified medical personnel are rarely available at games or practice. Mayo Clinic provides an evidence-based remove-from-play concussion protocol designed to protect athletes at all levels of play.
All concussion baseline tests are NOT the same. Most baseline concussion assessments include only computerized cognitive testing. While useful if performed properly, computerized cognitive assessments are only referenced after a concussion has been diagnosed to help facilitate return to school and safe return to play. They are not used for diagnosing concussion on the sideline or determining if an athlete should be removed from play after a suspected head injury.
The most important step in concussion management is removing the athlete from play and the risk of repeat and potentially more serious brain injury. Mayo Clinic believes in empowering parents with one of the most sensitive objective tools available for eye-movement tacking.
Mayo Clinic’s Concussion Check can be managed by 1-2 parent volunteers per team. Much like CPR and First Aid Certification, Mayo Clinic’s Concussion Check can be completed by medical professionals as well as by parents and volunteers with no prior medical training. Mayo Clinic concussion specialists train team volunteers on Mayo Clinic’s Concussion Check protocol, a sideline concussion protocol that includes objective eye-movement testing and can be administered by laypeople. Following Concussion Check training, the trained volunteers are responsible for establishing a King-Devick Test baseline for all athletes prior to the season. They then attend all practices and games to monitor for possible injury and administer the Concussion Check to determine if an athlete should be removed from play after a concerning hit.
Mayo Clinic’s Concussion Check is a simple three-step process.
- Step 1: Recognize and Remove – If signs of a concussion are observed or symptoms are reported, the athlete must be removed from play until cleared by a medical professional.
- Step 2: Orientation Questions – If the athlete incorrectly answers orientation questions, the athlete must be removed from play until cleared by a medical professional.
- Step 3: Eye-Movement Test – If the athlete has a prolonged King Devick test time compared to baseline or any uncorrected errors, the athlete must be removed from play until cleared by a medical professional.
Return to Play (acute concussion) Clinic
Mayo Clinic Arizona provides fast-track scheduling and acute concussion assessments in our Return to Play Clinic at our Scottsdale campus.
Our Clinic is open 8:00 am to 5:00 pm on Monday and 8:00 am to 12:00 pm on Friday. In addition, our concussion specialist hold "concussion slots" throughout the week so you can be seen when you need to be seen.
Mayo Clinic Arizona concussion specialists work with student athletes and their school to design individually tailored return to learn and school accommodation plans. Mayo Clinic doctors follow the athlete throughout the return to learn/play process to ensure a successful transition.
During your initial visit to our Return to Play (acute concussion) Clinic, you will be seen by multiple concussion specialists from the departments of neurology, psychology and audiology. If indicated, further testing will be performed to assist our concussion team to better manage your symptoms and direct appropriate rehabilitation and management.
Contact us
- To schedule an appointment, please call 480-301-1735.
- To schedule an appointment in our Return to Play Clinic for acute sport-related concussions, please call 480-301-8484.
- Return to Play Clinic address: 13400 East Shea Blvd, Scottsdale, AZ 85259
- To learn about our Concussion Check program, please send an email to concussion@mayo.edu.
- For all inquiries, please send to concussion@mayo.edu.
FLORIDA
Mayo Clinic Florida Sports Medicine Team takes a multidisciplinary approach to diagnosing and managing concussion. Our Sports Medicine team will follow the athlete closely from the sideline, to diagnosis, testing as needed, rehabilitation, and finally return-to-play protocols.
Our team is trained in several computerized/tablet based concussion evaluation tools. We work closely with certified athletic trainers, coaches and parents to coordinate a safe return-to-play for your athlete following the most up-to-date guidelines.
Expedited appointments for all acute sports injuries within 24-72 hours are available by calling Sports Medicine at Mayo Clinic Florida (904) 953-0305.
MINNESOTA
Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine currently provides concussion management services to all area high schools and colleges that we partner with through community outreach programs; in-turn helping athletes safely return to sport after a concussion. We offer baseline testing to any teams/organizations and individuals who are interested.
- To learn about our concussion treatment and management services, please Click Here.
- To schedule an appointment, please call:
- Rochester: 507-328-0002
- Minneapolis: 612-772-9021
MAYO CLINIC CONNECTED CARE NETWORK
The Mayo Clinic Care Network is a network of like-minded organizations that share a common commitment to improving the delivery of health care in their communities through high-quality, data-driven, evidence-based medical care.
To learn more, please click here.
To search for network providers near you, click here.
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