Headache Clinic founder Helen Tufui was concerned with the increasing numbers and stories of New Zealand athletes suffering long-term concussion problems.
She wanted to help people across the country to tackle the issue as most of cases were avoidable.
"It is actually preventable if only you know when you are ready to return to sport and when your brain has fully recovered.
"If you return too early and you sustain a second injury before your brain is fully recovered, the risk you will have ongoing persistent symptoms is really high."
With this in mind, Mrs Tufui launched yesterday the Test NZ Baseline free event in Invercargill where a team of specialists carried several test on attendees to have their medical and neurological baseline tested and recorded.
Mrs Tufui said the baseline test recorded their healthy function on a national database when the individual was well to provide a reference point.
"It is usually available for athletes and often is expensive to run but with the help and support of our community, we are putting a free baseline testing concussion for everyone in our community. After Southland, we want to take this initiative to other regions."
Between 1997-2019, concussions presented to emergency departments have increased threefold, she said.
"We are a sporting nation, so we need to be proactive on this, I’m passionate to see our sporting communities tested, not just our elite athletes. I’d like to see this syndrome become a thing of the past."
Southland Stags player Rory van Vugt (24) was among the people who took the opportunity yesterday to go through the process.
He had picked up just one concussion in his career two years ago and was off the field for about 10 days.
"It wasn’t too bad. I’m probably pretty lucky at this stage but also pretty young and early in the career."
To be aware of body limits was paramount for any sportsman, he said.
Test NZ Baseline continues today at ILT Stadium Southland.
