Baseline testing is when we perform a battery of tests to measure how people function prior to a concussive injury. These procedures will test various areas of brain function, including both cognitive and physical.

Baseline testing is not intended to provide a diagnosis, but merely a pre-injury measure which can be used after injury to help with making safe return to play decisions. Once we know what your normal measures prior to injury are, then it helps us to understand how much impact the injury has caused.

The literature suggests that baseline testing has a good test-retest reliability for at least 6 months to 1 year after the baseline is done. Further, baseline testing has good longevity after injury meaning that it is able to show subtle dysfunctions after injury, even AFTER symptoms have gone away. This is crucial in ensuring that the athlete is truly safe to return to play since there may still be some deficits present even once symptoms have subsided largely.

Contact us if you are interested in having a baseline test done for you or your athlete, and we would be happy to set it up to ensure safe concussion management and return to play safely after injury.