Nashville, Tenn. – Baptist Sports Medicine will offer a free seminar on concussions for area coaches and parents. The seminar, which is open to the public, will be held Saturday, April 19 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Sommet Center.

As a result of a partnership between Baptist Sports Medicine and Howell-Allen Clinic, area schools and sport associations who attend the clinic will gain free access to the concussion management program, ImPACT, used by the NFL and many other professional sports teams. The Howell-Allen clinic, in conjunction with Baptist Sports Medicine, is the only credentialed site in Middle Tennessee to offer the program.

The clinic will also cover several topics including Best Medical Practices, Cutting Edge Technology and Quickened Return to Sport. Instructing the seminar are Dr. Jason Hubbard, a neurosurgeon at Baptist and Saint Thomas Hospitals and concussion expert with the Howell-Allen Clinic, Dr. Gary Solomon, a clinical psychologist at Baptist Hospital and team psychologist for the Nashville Predators, Trent Nessler, DPT, managing director for Baptist Sports Medicine and Alex Pinto, athletic medicine director for Baptist Sports Medicine.

“We are happy to be able to provide this clinic for area coaches, athletes and their parents as a part of our commitment to the athletic community,” said Pinto. “This clinic provides a unique opportunity to learn invaluable information on minimizing the long-term effects of concussions. It is our priority to find ways to better gauge when athletes have healed and are ready to return to the competition.”

The ImPACT testing consists of an online exam, which gives patients a baseline/cognitive function score. This score can later be compared to cognitive tests taken after a person sustains a concussion to determine what symptoms may have occurred as a result of the concussion.

“As a coach, it’s important for me to know the latest treatment methods of concussions and other similar injuries that are a potential danger to my players. Baptist Sports Medicine is providing an invaluable resource by offering this seminar to us,” said Jackson Howell, football coach at Ezell Harding Christian School.

This clinic is part of an ongoing concussions management initiative by Baptist Sports Medicine. The rehabilitation staff also offers specialized post-concussion rehab programs that are designed to accelerate healing and return-to-participation.

For more information, please visitwww.BaptistSportsMedicine.com/concussion. To RSVP for the clinic, please call Alex Pinto at 284-GAME extension 3.

Baptist Sports Medicine, a division of Saint Thomas Health Services, provides healthcare, sports medicine and outpatient rehabilitation services. With over 40 licensed therapists, we have the right specialist for you. Our clinics are conveniently located throughout Middle Tennessee and we offer Sports/Orthopedic rehab, Neurological physical, occupational and speech therapy, Lymphedema, Vestibular rehab, Pediatrics, Women’s Health, Worker’s Comp/FCEs, pediatric physical, occupational and speech therapy, and speech/voice therapy.