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Sports Concussion Management Program

Orthopedics & Sports Medicine

You’ve found the right team to help safeguard your future through expert concussion management.

At Orthopedic & Sports Medicine BayCare Clinic, we understand the drive that pushes athletes to perform at their best. But when the unforeseen occurs, such as sports-related concussions, our comprehensive sports concussion management program is here to provide the support and multidisciplinary expertise required for a full and safe return to the game and life.

Whether you're striving for peak performance or standing by your athlete, we recognize the significance of quick and proficient care. We're dedicated to offering services that prioritize not just the athlete's immediate health but also their long-term well-being in sports and life.

Our Commitment to Athlete Health Includes:

  • A thorough sports concussion management program designed to facilitate safe return-to-play decisions.
  • Personalized care plans that adapt to the unique needs of each athlete, from preemptive strategies through post-injury recovery.
  • State-of-the-art ImPACT® concussion testing, both baseline and post-injury, to aid the precision of our concussion care.
  • Partnerships with local schools and sports organizations to drive focus on concussion education so that athletes and their supporters can make informed decisions about sports-related health risks and protocols.

ImPACT Concussion Testing

Todd Bruss, PA with Orthopedics & Sports Medicine at BayCare Clinic is a credentialed ImPACT consultant and uses ImPACT concussion testing to guide individualized concussion management. The application of ImPACT extends a significant benefit to athletes across various sports, as well as their concerned parents, ensuring that post-concussion care is handled with efficiency and precision.

ImPACT concussion testing delivers a groundbreaking approach to managing concussions through neurocognitive assessment. The test itself is a computerized set of tasks that measure the test taker’s visual and verbal memory, reaction time, and processing speed. Recognized as an FDA-cleared medical device, ImPACT can be used as a baseline test to record an individual’s healthy brain function. It also offers invaluable post-injury tests to help our concussion care team assess concussion severity and track cognitive changes as treatment progresses.

Concussions Are a Serious Injury

According to the CDC, a concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury – or TBI – caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. This sudden movement can cause the brain to bounce around or twist in the skull, creating chemical changes in the brain and sometimes stretching and damaging brain cells.

While concussions are classified as mild TBIs, they can cause chemical and metabolic changes within the brain that affect neurological function. The effects of a concussion are usually temporary but can last weeks or months, depending on the severity and how quickly the concussed individual receives treatment.

Concussion Signs and Symptoms

Signs and symptoms vary between individuals, but it’s important that a concussion is recognized as soon as possible and managed appropriately to prevent irreversible damage and lifelong issues. Concussion symptoms can affect your brain function on multiple levels.

Physical concussion symptoms:

  • Headache (most common symptom)
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Temporary loss of consciousness
  • Balance issues/dizziness/lightheadedness
  • Blurry or double vision
  • Ringing in the ears
  • Sensitivity to light and noise
  • Changes in sleep patterns
  • Feeling tired or drowsy

Emotional concussion symptoms:

  • Depression or sadness
  • Being irritable, nervous, or anxious
  • Feeling like you’re in a “fog”

Cognitive concussion symptoms:

  • Confusion and memory loss
  • Difficulty paying attention
  • Being forgetful
  • Trouble understanding or concentrating

All concussions require specialized medical attention within hours to days after the injury and suspected concussion. While each individual concussion is different, Orthopedics & Sports Medicine BayCare Clinic provides tailored protocols for the concussed individual. Our concussion management program also coordinates multidisciplinary care with other professional partners to create a safe treatment plan that gets athletes back to school, learning and, when they’re ready, back to play.

Sports Concussion Management Team

Ryan Woods MD Baycare Clinic

Dr. Ryan Woods is a non-operative sports medicine physician.

Todd Bruss PA C Baycare Clinic

Todd Bruss, PA-C, ATC, CSCS, CIC is a credentialed ImPACT consultant.

Ryan Woods, MD, RMSK and Todd Bruss, PA-C, ATC, CSCS, CIC have teamed up to help athletes in Northeast Wisconsin prevent and treat sports concussions. Dr. Woods is a non-operative sports medicine physician and Todd Bruss is credentialed ImPACT consultant, having received specialized training in concussion assessment and treatment for adults and children.

If you’re ready to tackle recovery head-on or simply want to be prepared, connect with us by calling (920) 288-5555 or click here to request an appointment onlineNo referral is necessary.

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