A short pre-season test records how your athlete's brain works when healthy. If a hit happens later, the comparison gives their physician real numbers to work with.
Overview
Every parent of a contact-sport athlete has the same worry. After a mid-season hit, how will anyone know their brain is back to normal?
A baseline test answers part of that question before the season begins. It records your athlete's healthy performance on balance, eye movement, reaction time and thinking speed, so later results have a clear point of comparison.
It is part of the concussion care at our rehabilitation center.
What it is
Baseline concussion testing is a short pre-season check that records how an athlete's brain normally performs. If the athlete later takes a hit, a re-test can be compared with that record, giving the athlete's physician measured information for recovery and return-to-play decisions.
Before the season, we record your athlete's normal test results.
After a suspected head impact, your athlete is re-tested.
The two results are compared to inform decisions made with the physician.
The re-check
Many athletic organizations suggest a new baseline every one to two years. We test before each season so the comparison stays current.
A baseline looks at functions a concussion often disrupts: balance, eye movement, reaction time and thinking speed. The exact tests are confirmed when you book.
Your athlete's own numbers become the reference point. Some athletes naturally score above average on balance or reaction time, so a small drop is easier to spot against their own record.
Source: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke guide to traumatic brain injury.
Conditions
A baseline matters most when a concussion happens and symptoms do not clear on schedule.
If your athlete still feels off weeks after a hit, the baseline shows how far from normal they are and which areas are behind. Learn about symptoms that linger after a concussion and how we help, in coordination with their medical providers.
Why here
Results after an injury are compared with your athlete's healthy numbers, not a population average.
If your athlete is hurt, the re-test and any concussion rehab happen with the team that recorded the baseline.
A baseline does not prevent injury or decide return to play. It gives the people who make that decision better information.
Other options
| Option | What it involves | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| No baseline | Post-injury results are compared with population averages | A small drop from an athlete's own normal is easy to miss |
| School or league screening | A computer-based test some programs give their athletes | Mostly thinking skills; availability varies by school and league |
| In-clinic baseline at True Performance | A short in-person test in our office before the season | Needs a visit; does not replace your team's own protocol |
If your athlete's school or league already runs a baseline, keep it; an in-clinic test adds to it.
Is it for you
If any of these apply, see a physician first; a baseline taken while symptoms are present is not a true baseline.
Your visits
Tell us your athlete's age, sport and season start date. We work with athletes of all ages; for minors, a parent gives written consent and takes part in the full evaluation.
About 10 to 15 minutes. Your athlete completes a short set of tests in our office.
We keep your athlete's results so they are ready if a hit happens during the season.
See a physician first. Your athlete is then re-tested and compared with the baseline, to inform that physician's decisions.
Cost
Baseline testing is designed to be an affordable annual check. We confirm the current fee on your intro call.
What your cost depends on
Booking policies
The clinic
Dr. Jeff McWhorter, D.C., is a chiropractor whose practice focuses on functional neurology and concussion rehabilitation. He partners with families, coaches, and athletic trainers, and tells parents plainly that a baseline is a tool for better decisions, not a promise.
The program runs through our Rancho Santa Fe rehabilitation center for athletes. If an injury happens, we become part of your athlete's return-to-play team, so you will not be starting from zero. Book before the season starts.
NFL Defensive End, Broncos, Texans, Titans, Bears, and Commanders
NFL running back, San Francisco 49ers
NFL Athletes
UFC World Champion
NFL Defensive End, Broncos, Texans, Titans, Bears, and Commanders
Bellator Bantamweight World Champion and Rizin Bantamweight Champion
#4 in the UFC Heavyweight Rankings / Ultimate Fighting Championship and UFC Bantamweight Champion
Colombian National Team Snowboarder
Visit
Baseline tests take place at our Rancho Santa Fe office: 18029 Calle Ambiente, Suite 507, in Cielo Village. We are about two miles from Lake Hodges, an easy drive for families from Del Mar, Solana Beach, Carlsbad and the rest of North County San Diego.
The first step
No. A baseline cannot stop an injury. It records your athlete's normal function so that, if a concussion happens, there is something to compare against.
California law (Education Code 49475) requires school athletes with a concussion to get written clearance from a licensed health care provider and complete a graduated return-to-play protocol of at least 7 days under supervision. We are part of the return-to-play team; the baseline informs that provider, and it is not the decision.
We test before each season, and again after any suspected concussion once a physician has seen your child.
It is designed as an affordable annual check. We confirm the current fee on your complimentary intro call, before you book.
Yes, once they have fully recovered and a physician has cleared them. A baseline taken while symptoms remain would not show their true normal.
Journal
Start with a complimentary 15-minute call with our team.
