Lakehead University Athletics Offers Concussion Clinic

THUNDER BAY – SPORTS – Lakehead Athletics and the Sports Medicine Clinic have expanded their services to include a comprehensive Concussion Clinic, led by Dr. Dave McKee. Their slogan, ‘Return to Play, Return to Life’ promotes their mandate to proactively address the steps that come with managing concussions, from baseline testing and post-injury scanning, to follow up testing.

Dubbed the Lakehead Sports Medicine Concussion Clinic (LSMCC), it offers a service for people from all walks of life, athletes or otherwise, to both deal with concussions when they happen, and better yet, be prepared in advance.

“We’re happy to be providing a vital service to Lakehead students and the Northwestern Ontario community,” says Dr. Dave McKee. “The ways in which we assess and treat concussions has come a long way in the past few years, and being prepared to deal with them in the most informed way means having baseline testing done.”

More than just a computer software program, the imPACT baseline test (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) is the global standard in assessing and evaluating concussions, and is an invaluable part of safe return to play decisions. ImPACT provides a medically anchored model for concussion management and is central to the LSMCC’s ‘Return to Play’ program, which is already being used by the Thunder Bay Bantam Kings hockey team.

The data collected by the imPACT baseline test provides a reference point, and in the event an athlete sustains a concussion, a broader picture of the athlete’s cognitive function can be ascertained.

“We offer flexible scheduling, team packages, and a comprehensive concussion management framework for our patrons,” mentions Return to Play program coordinator, Lisa Sguigna.