HEAD AND CERVICAL SPINE

• Test for antegrade amnesia (inability to recall things after the injury)

  • Short-term memory test: "Can you remember these five words for me?"

• Cranial Nerve Assessment

• Pupil Assessment (PEARRL)

• Special Tests:

  • Romberg Test: Tests for balance

    • Patient is standing with feet shoulder width apart, examiner is standing behind the patient, ready to catch them if the fall.

    • The test should be done in steps. Patient closes eyes, abducts arms to 90 degrees with straight arms. The patient then tilts her head backwards and lifts one foot off the ground. Patient should touch their nose with their index finger. 

    • Positive test will be indicative by a loss of balance. 

  • Halo Test: test for CSF leakage, which is indicative of a skull fracture.

    • Patient is sitting or laying down, and the examiner is at her side.

    • Examiner holds a piece of gauze to the patient's ear and absorbs fluid leaking from ear or nose. After allowing it to soak into the gauze, the examiner will look at it. 

    • Positive test is indicated by a pale yellow "halo" that forms on the gauze.

  • Tandem Walking Test: tests for balance

    • Patient is standing with feet on either side of a straight line. The examiner is beside the patient in cause they fall. 

    • The patient walks heel-to-toe along the line for 10 yards, and returns to the start by walking backwards along the same path.

    • Positive test is indicated by the inability to maintain balanced. 

• Cognitive Function Testing

  • Done post-injury and compared to pre-injury levels to determine any change in cognitive ability. Most of these tests are only meant for use in athletes 12 years of age or older, but special adaptations are being developed for pediatric athletes. 

  • ImPACT 

  • SCAT 3 (Sports Concussion Assessment Tool)

  • King-Devick Test

(Starkey 2010)