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OSMC, a leading sports medicine resource in Michiana, is the first facility in Michiana to offer ImPACT, a software program that measures an individual’s brain function.With the school year upon us, athletes must be wary of undetected injuries. One injury that can often go undetected, with serious consequences, is a concussion. Test such as CAT scans and MRIs cannot detect a concussion because it is not a structural injury, but a metabolic one.Consider the following:

• Concussions result from a blow to the head. Often referred to in sports as “getting your bell rung,” even what seems to be a mild bump or blow can be serious. A second concussion before the first has healed can result in serious complications, even death.

• ImPACT operates by having an individual, usually a student athlete, take an initial test to establish a baseline of reaction times, If the individual suffers a head injury, a second exam is administered in conjunction with a physical evaluation. The results of the test and the evaluation are used to determine when the athlete can safely return to play

• OSMC is making the ImPACT test available to anyone in the Michiana are.

• Cost for the online baseline test is $15 (PayPal and major credit cards accepted). The test takes about 20 minutes.

• More information is available at www.impacttest.com.