Sport-Related Concussion Program
Sport-related concussion is a frequent injury in athletes of all ages. Although important steps have been taken to improve sports safety and reduce the incidence of concussion, there are still over 1 million sport-related concussions per year in youth athletes in the United States. The Sports Medicine specialists at Yale Medicine Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation are dedicated to providing the highest quality treatment of all athletic injuries, and helping youth athletes recover and safely return to their sports.
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Our Team
Our multidisciplinary team includes a dedicated and compassionate group of concussion specialists including Sports Medicine physicians, pediatric neurosurgery providers, physical therapists with special expertise in concussion and vestibular treatment, nurses, and social workers to address all the components of an athlete’s well-being after a diagnosis of concussion. In addition, our patients benefit from access to the expert providers in pediatric neurology, neuropsychology, and behavioral health at Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital and Yale Medicine.
Our Approach
Our patients benefit from a comprehensive initial visit, which includes a review of their history and a thorough concussion examination, including all domains of concussion symptoms and signs. Our doctors and physical therapists help our patients and their parents to understand their symptoms and outline steps for recovery based on the latest evidence and best clinical practices, tailoring treatments to each patient’s set of symptoms. If any musculoskeletal injuries occurred at the same time as a concussion, our Sports Medicine specialists are also experts in the diagnosis and treatment of athletic injuries and joint pain.
Often, follow-up doctor visits can be done via telemedicine, which is convenient for patients and their parents. If a specific need arises, patients with sport-related concussion may benefit from consultation with another expert Yale clinician to discuss headaches, sleep disturbances, mood symptoms including anxiety and depression, cognitive symptoms affecting school performance, visual symptoms, or concerns about the long-term risks of concussions.
Our Sports Medicine specialists work with patients’ schools and athletic trainers to facilitate their returning to the learning environment and to physical activities in a gradual and supervised progression.
