Monsignor Donovan High School to begin utilizing ImPact, a concussion management program

             Monsignor Donovan High School is proud to announce its use of an innovative program for its student athletes.  ImPact (Immediate Post Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) is a computerized exam that athletes will take prior to the start of each sports season.  If an athlete is believed to have suffered a head injury, they re-take the exam to help determine the extent of the injury, its location and when the injury has healed.  The system is utilized throughout professional, collegiate and high school sports and is fast becoming the “Gold Standard” in recognizing and better managing concussion type injuries.  The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s Sports Concussion Program (UPMC) is the founding group for this software.

            The non-invasive exam takes approximately twenty minutes, is set-up like a video game and gives the brain a preseason physical of its cognitive abilities.  It tracks memory, reaction time, processing speed and concentration.  If a concussion is suspected, the test is re-taken and the information gleaned is then compared to the baseline test to better help determine the recovery from the concussion.  Results can be shared with doctors so that a sound decision can be made as to when return to play is appropriate and safe.

            Presently, Monsignor Donovan High School is one of only three high schools in Ocean County to utilize ImPact, and they are the only one in Toms River.  The school’s administration, coaching and athletic training staffs have chosen to implement ImPact in an effort to keep the students’ health and safety at the forefront of their high school athletic experience.