Concussion HQ

Concussion Specialist Clinic

Our specially-trained concussion Sports Doctors and Sports Physiotherapists work together to provide a comprehensive, multidisciplinary, co-management approach to sports-related concussions.

Concussion affiliates

Sports-related Concussion

There is growing concern in Australia and globally about sport-related concussion and the potential health ramifications for individuals who have suffered a concussion. If managed appropriately, most signs and symptoms of concussion, resolve spontaneously. However, complications can occur, including prolonged symptoms and increased susceptibility to further injury.

10-15 of athletes from high-risk sports are estimated to experience a concussion each year. 50 of high-risk sport athletes have reported suffering a concussion at some point in their sporting life. Over half of concussions are never reported to coaches, trainers or club medical staff.

Suffered A Concussion

Our specially-trained concussion Sports Doctors and Sports Physiotherapists work together to provide a comprehensive, multidisciplinary, co-management approach to sports-related concussions.

Accurate Diagnosis

Our doctors and physiotherapists conduct thorough examinations to ensure sports-related concussions are accurately identified and appropriately managed.

Computerised & Multimodal Testing

Our sports physicians perform a series of physical and cognitive tests as well as computerised neurocognitive assessment to provide objective insight into brain function.

Neurocognitive Care

Rest is no longer considered the best approach to concussion care. Early intervention of various therapies can significantly improve recovery following a concussion. Through a thorough assessment and the right treatment approach, SportsMed Biologic can help patients safely return to learn, work and play.

Treadmill Test & Exercise Prescription

Conducted by our physios, Concussion Treadmill testing, assesses the brain’s response to increased blood flow during activity. Treadmill testing is the best test available for determining exercise prescription and progressions in concussion patients

Visual & Vestibular Restoration

Dizziness and visual disturbances are common following concussion. A rehab program incorporating balance and visual rehabilitation program may help to reduce symptoms such as dizziness, visual abnormalities, concentration issues and memory problems, among other symptoms.

Neck Therapy

Headaches, dizziness, balance and blood flow abnormalities are symptoms of both concussion and neck injuries (or whiplash). Often, ongoing symptoms can be generated by the neck which can be treated with manual therapy by our CCMI certified APA Sports & Exercise Physiotherapists.

Education & Reassurance

We are here to help, every step of the way and will provide up-to-date advice, guidelines and a step by step return to activity, taking the guess work out of return to play and getting you back to what you love.

Specialist Referral & Management

We work closely with a network of specialist practitioners with special interests in sports-related concussion assessment & management to make sure you are getting the right advice and support throughout your rehabilitation & management.

Persistent Symptoms

While most people make a full recovery, about 15 to 30% of people will go on to have persistent symptoms such as headaches or dizziness.

Following proper return to work, learn or play guidelines, and receiving information about concussions, expectations of recovery and strategies for symptom management can help to reduce the risk.

In some cases, the effects of concussion can last for weeks or even months. If you experience symptoms with basic tasks or activities of daily living for more than 4 weeks, this is known as persistent symptoms (or sometimes called Post-Concussion Syndrome).

Rest is no longer considered the best approach to concussion care. Early intervention of various therapies can significantly improve recovery following a concussion

At SportsMed Biologic we want to intervene early with persistent symptoms and this aligns with emerging evidence, so we don’t wait until 4 weeks to try an influence your symptoms with activities, we undertake a comprehensive assessment and testing process to optimise your recovery and successful return to symptom-free activity.

Treatment may involve addressing specific symptoms such a mood issues, anxiety, difficulty concentration or headaches. If you are experiencing ongoing problems post-concussion, please book a concussion appointment with our trained Sports Doctors who will begin the process of comprehensive persistent symptoms management.

Baseline Testing

Concussion baseline testing provides important insight into individual, healthy brain function before a concussion injury.

These tests provide individual benchmarks to compare with, should a concussion occur. Not all players/people of the same age or same level of sport, perform uniformly when undertaking concussion testing, there is moderately-large individual variability.

While normative values exist, individual comprehensive baseline concussion testing at the start of the season which incorporates a variety of tests can provide objective insight and improved accuracy and reliability.

Because concussion symptoms can be diverse and often resolve days to weeks before the brain has fully recovered, having individual baseline data available to refer back to, offers concussion practitioners crucial insight into the individual’s level of brain recovery, improving clinical decision making and safer return to sport.

Book your preseason baseline concussion testing with one of our experienced Sports Physicians.

Clinical Trial

Players having experienced a suspected concussion have been invited to take part in this research project, as identified by your Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA) or Eastern Football Netball League (EFNL).

The diagnosis and management of sport-related concussion is challenging, primarily as it is heavily reliant on subjective signs and symptoms. As such, our research group has focused on discovering and validating objective tools to assist with concussion diagnosis and management. In recent published studies in emergency department and sports concussion cohorts, we have shown that measures of brain specific proteins in blood (i.e., blood biomarkers), hold great promise in assisting with this process. However, there are critical gaps in evidence that must be filled to advance the blood tests towards routine clinical use.

The aim of this study is to determine how existing and new candidate blood biomarkers (i.e. proteins found in blood that reflect a biological process, in this case brain injury) might be used to assist diagnosis of concussion at clinically relevant stages after injury. It recruits directly from adult Australian football teams from the VAFA and EFNL, rather than just from the subset that attend a hospital emergency department, and thereby generates data most reflective of the sports concussion spectrum. We aim to recruit 300 players with suspected concussion.

By combining an injury report and referral from your football club, repeated symptom evaluation and blood biomarker testing at 24 hours and 48-72 hours, and an expert medical evaluation in a concussion-specific clinic, we aim to produce the high-quality evidence required to progress blood biomarkers towards routine clinical use to assist diagnosis in cases of potential or suspected concussion.