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Sports neurology focuses on ensuring that children with neurological disorders can safely engage in athletics and receive expert care if they are injured.
As sports neurology specialists, our THINK Neurology for Kids team—Shaun S. Varghese, MD, Cristina R. Marchesano, MD, Lorena Herbert, MD, Barbara Kiersz-Mueller, DO, Lauren Weaver, MD, Alicia Walls, MD, Sundeep Mandava, MD, Patricia DeForest, DO, Robby Korah, FNP-C, Jennifer E. Martin, CPNP-PC, Tammy DeLaGarza, FNP-C, and Heather King, CPNP-PC—supports each child’s ability to enjoy their favorite activities.
Parents often want to know what happens during a sports neurology evaluation. This blog answers their questions.
When to schedule a sports neurology evaluation
The three goals of sports neurology help describe when to consider an evaluation:
Goal 1: Diagnosing and treating sports-related neurologic injuries
Every active child can experience an injury affecting their neurologic system, whether on the playground or during organized sports.
A concussion is the most frequent sports-related injury, but it’s not the only one. Young athletes may injure their peripheral nerves (the nerves running throughout their body), spinal cord, and neuromuscular system.
Children need expert neurological care to recover and return to their favorite activities when these injuries arise. The first step is a sports neurology evaluation to identify the problem and guide treatment.
Goal 2: Supporting sports participation in children with a neurologic condition
Exercise improves nerve connections, balance, coordination, and muscle strength — cornerstones of treatment for children with neurologic conditions.
Our kids should be encouraged to participate in their favorite activity or sport. However, parents, teachers, and coaches are often uncertain about which sports are safe or optimal for nurturing success.
Sports-focused neurology evaluations give us the information needed to create customized activity plans and targeted treatments that build your child’s strengths while preventing injuries.
Goal 3: Optimizing neuromuscular performance
Optimizing nervous system health to enhance neuromuscular performance is often part of supporting sports participation. However, improving neuromuscular function is a crucial goal in treating children with neurological conditions like epilepsy and multiple sclerosis.
We can also monitor your child’s neurologic health as they mature and grow, adjusting their treatment at every stage to maintain optimal health and slow the progression of neurodegenerative diseases.
What to expect during a sports neurology evaluation
Neurological exams include the following steps:
Medical history
A neurology exam begins by reviewing the child’s and family’s medical history. We also review medical records to see if your child has received treatment from other neurologists.
Physical examination
Before the physical exam, we learn about your child’s goals and concerns. For example, it’s essential for us to understand the activities your child enjoys, the sports your child wants to play, and their experience in these activities.
The physical exam is a comprehensive evaluation of your child’s overall health. It includes measuring vital signs (weight, blood pressure, and heart rate), looking in your child’s ears, mouth, and eyes, and then checking their organs, muscles, and joint movement.
If your child recently had a fall or athletic injury, we also look for signs of a concussion. This includes asking about symptoms and doing tests to check balance, eye movement, and gait.
Neurological exam
A neurological exam assesses your child’s brain and nerves, including:
Muscle (motor) skills
We observe your child as they move and perform tests to check coordination and muscle strength. For example, we may ask your child to reach for and pick up a toy or push against their provider’s hand.
Walking and balance
Walking and balance evaluations involve observing your child walk, run, balance on one leg, and stand still (to give you a few examples).
Mental status
Mental status includes skills like paying attention and performing mental tasks. These tests are always appropriate for your child’s age and developmental stage.
We may watch how young children interact with their parents or play with toys. For older children, we usually ask simple questions or give them age-appropriate tasks.
Cranial nerve function
The cranial nerves control functions like vision, hearing, taste, smell, balance, and eye, head, neck, and tongue movement. Depending on the physical exam results, we may test one or more.
Sensory nerve function
We determine how well your child can feel by touching their skin with various objects.
Reflexes
Reflexes are automatic reactions that respond to a trigger, like gently tapping your child’s elbow, knee, or ankle. Reflex reactions reveal potential problems in the way nerves communicate with muscles.
Diagnostic tests
After completing the physical and neurological exam, we may perform other tests. An electroencephalogram (EEG) is fundamental for identifying brain function. We may also do electrodiagnostic testing, diagnostic imaging, or other tests.
Call the nearest THINK Neurology for Kids office today or connect online to request an appointment. Our offices are in The Woodlands, Katy, Sugar Land, Austin, San Antonio, and Gulf Coast, Texas.