Every new sports season, St.Paul Academy and Summit School student athletes get announcements about taking the ImPACT test. What exactly is this test and why do students need to take it?

Four to 5 million concussions occur annually according to ImPACT, and with more than a dozen high school sports at SPA, these serious brain injuries are a major concern for students who participate in sports. “Since SPA is such an academic school, concussions take a toll on the classroom side of things,” SPA athletic trainer Holly Gaudreau said.

A concussion is classified as a traumatic brain injury that alters the way your brain functions by The Mayo Clinic’s Concussion Staff. A concussion can occur as a result of a large hit to the head, but smaller bumps can also trigger a concussion. Along with short-term ramifications, a concussion can cause serious damage to the brain, possibly altering the brain forever.

The ImPACT test is an online concussion evaluation system with targeted questions to address memory, concentration, and reaction time that is taken following a possible concussion to clearly state post-concussion status to athletes, parents, and coaches. “[The ImPACT test] is a second tool to utilize in the diagnosis of a concussion and it tests things I can’t see physically,” Gaudreau said. An essential test, healthcare providers around the country use the ImPACT test to understand a brain injury to better help students return to normal activities, including school and sports.

But why is it important for SPA athletes to take this test before they even get a concussion? When someone takes this test with a concussion they need a normal score to compare their possibly concussed score to. The athletic trainer has access to the ImPACT test at any time. Through Gaudreau, athletes can take the ImPACT test to help get get back in the game faster after an injury. “I never had a baseline so it was actually quite confusing for my doctors because they didn’t know if I would normally have gotten scores in the negatives, or if that was because of a concussion. It made me realize how important baselines really are to doctors so they can help figure out what may be wrong,”sophomore Moira McCarthy said.

During the highschool years, brain development is still occurring at a fast pace, meaning that the baseline score needs to be updated frequently to get an accurate number for comparison. “[The baseline ImPACT test] should be taken by athletes every other year after the age of 12, so hopefully freshman and junior year,” Gaudreau said. “[SPA student athletes] can’t play their sport at all until they are up-to-date on their baseline,” she added.

The next ImPACT tests offered are Oct. 28, 29 after school in the Dining Hall.