Orthopedics:
Conditions

Head & Neck Conditions

If you engage in sport, you run the risk of suffering a head injury. A stray ball, a helmet-to-helmet collision, an awkward fall, and countless other scenarios often result in the head sustaining an injury such as concussion.

The sports medicine doctors at Emory provide treatment for all head injuries, with a specialization in sports concussions. We were the first sports medicine team in Atlanta to provide Computerized Neuropsychological Testing (CNT) for athletic programs – the same concussion treatment plan that is used by professional teams in the NFL and NHL.

CNT allows athletes to be tested before the season begins to establish a baseline neuropsychological testing score. If they suffer head trauma while engaged in their sport, the athlete can be tested again and the scores are compared to provide an accurate report on their neuropsychological status. This allows the sports medicine doctors and athletic trainers to determine the degree of injury and timeline for return to play.

Concussion

Concussions are caused by trauma to the head, inducing alterations in mental status. About 10 percent of concussion victims suffer loss of consciousness.