Skip to main content

Sports and exercise medicine · London

Sports concussion clinic, assessment to return-to-play.

A multidisciplinary concussion pathway with SEM consultants, neurology, neuropsychology, vestibular physio and sports optometry. Amsterdam consensus 2022 protocol, SCAT-6 and VOMS at every visit, written return-to-play clearance for your club, school or governing body.

A radiographer guides a patient onto the bed of an advanced 3 Tesla MRI scanner in a London imaging suite

Indicative pricing

What a private concussion clinic costs in London.

Indicative ranges across our partner units.

Service Indicative range
Initial SEM concussion consultation (60-90 min) £350-£550
VOMS assessment and vestibular physio (per session) £120-£180
ImPACT computerised neurocognitive testing £280-£450
Neuropsychology assessment (persistent symptoms) £450-£900
Sports optometry and King-Devick £180-£320
MRI brain (structural, if red flags) £450-£850
Medico-legal report (retirement, insurance) £850-£2,400

Insurance usually covers the assessment and rehab where medically indicated. Return-to-play certification for elite or amateur sport is often self-pay. Medico-legal reports are additional.

The journey

From first message to written return-to-play clearance.

One team from the acute pitch-side moment through rehab and formal clearance.

  1. 04

    In clinic

    The clinic assessment

    60 to 90 minutes. SCAT-6 or SCOAT-6, symptom score, VOMS vestibular-ocular motor screening, King-Devick reading test and dual-task balance.

  2. 05

    In clinic

    Neurocognitive testing if indicated

    Computerised ImPACT or CogState battery, ideally against your pre-season baseline. Vestibular physio starts the same day for VOMS-positive patients.

  3. 06

    After

    Rehab and staged return

    The 6-stage Amsterdam pathway: relative rest, light aerobic, sport-specific, non-contact drills, full contact practice, return to play. Buffalo protocol for slow recoverers.

  4. 07

    After

    Clearance, or a longer plan

    Written return-to-play or return-to-learn clearance for your club, school or governing body. Or a longer rehab plan, and if needed a retirement conversation.

When it helps

Who a specialist concussion clinic is for.

Any suspected concussion, persistent post-concussion symptoms, formal return-to-play clearance, or a retirement conversation after multiple injuries.

  • Rugby, football, boxing, MMA

    Any suspected concussion in a contact or combat sport. Same-week assessment, RFU-aligned graduated return-to-play pathway.

  • Cycling and equestrian

    High-impact non-contact sports where helmet strikes and falls from height need structural imaging and a longer return timeline.

  • Persistent post-concussion symptoms

    Symptoms lasting more than 4 weeks: headache, fog, sleep disturbance, mood change, dizziness. Multidisciplinary rehab, not more rest.

  • Return-to-play clearance

    Written clearance to your club, school or governing body after a formal Amsterdam consensus 6-stage progression, signed by a consultant.

  • Multiple concussions

    Three or more concussions, or two within a season. Neuropsychology, structured discussion of long-term risk, and retirement counselling if appropriate.

  • CTE risk stratification for retired athletes

    Retired professional or amateur athletes with cognitive, mood or behavioural change. Baseline neurocognitive and neurology review.

  • Return-to-learn for students

    School-aged athletes needing graduated academic accommodations before physical return. Coordinated with school SENCO or university welfare.

  • Red flag: worsening headache, LOC over 30 min, seizure, focal deficit

    These need same-day A&E, not a private clinic. We will redirect you and follow up afterwards.

Assessment and rehab tools

The tools a good concussion clinic uses.

Structured tests give an objective picture, and shape the rehab plan. Rest alone is not a plan.

  • SCAT-6 and SCOAT-6

    The Amsterdam consensus 2022 tools: on-field and office concussion assessment, symptom scores, cognitive screen, coordination and balance.

  • VOMS vestibular-ocular motor screen

    Smooth pursuit, saccades, near-point convergence and vestibular-ocular reflex. Positive scores drive vestibular physio referral.

  • King-Devick reading test

    A rapid number-naming test that flags oculomotor dysfunction. Timed against baseline where available; sensitive to sub-clinical injury.

  • ImPACT and CogState neurocognitive

    Computerised batteries measuring memory, reaction time and processing speed. Best interpreted against a pre-season baseline.

  • Dual-task balance and tandem gait

    Balance testing with a simultaneous cognitive task. More sensitive than static balance for persistent injury.

  • Buffalo sub-symptom-threshold aerobic protocol

    A graded treadmill test that sets a safe exercise heart rate for slow recoverers. Active rehab, not passive rest.

  • Cervical and vestibular physio

    Cervicogenic contribution is common. Combined cervical spine mobilisation and vestibular rehab shortens recovery in VOMS-positive patients.

  • MRI brain, structural

    Only if red flags present: prolonged loss of consciousness, focal neurology, seizure or worsening headache. DTI and susceptibility sequences are research, not routine care.

Our vetted London network

The clinics we send patients to.

HCA Wellington Sports Medicine Concussion Clinic, Fortius Clinic Concussion Pathway, ISEH (Institute of Sport, Exercise & Health at UCLH), One Welbeck Sports, Blackrock Health BUPA UK, London Bridge Hospital Sports Medicine. Premier sports clubs refer into these units under RFU-aligned protocols.

  • Consultants trained in sports and exercise medicine, not general A&E

  • Amsterdam consensus 2022 protocol, SCAT-6 and VOMS in every clinic

  • Vestibular physio and sports optometry on-site or same-week

  • Neuropsychology and neurology on the pathway for persistent symptoms

Safety and recovery

What to expect, honestly.

Rest is short. Active rehab is longer. Second impact syndrome is real. Do not drive until formally cleared.

  • 24 to 48 hours relative rest

    Amsterdam consensus: a brief period of physical and cognitive rest, then symptom-limited activity. Prolonged rest slows recovery.

  • Second impact syndrome warning

    A second concussion before the first has healed can cause catastrophic swelling. Never return to contact until formally cleared.

  • Do not drive until cleared

    DVLA guidance and clinic advice: no driving while symptomatic or while cognitive testing is impaired. Written clearance is given at discharge.

  • Amsterdam 6-stage return-to-play

    Symptom-limited activity, light aerobic, sport-specific, non-contact drills, full contact practice, return to play. Minimum 24 hours per stage.

  • When Buffalo protocol is used

    For symptoms beyond 10 to 14 days, a graded aerobic exercise test sets a safe target heart rate. Aerobic training below threshold speeds recovery.

  • When MRI is not needed

    Routine concussion does not need imaging. MRI is reserved for red flags: focal neurology, seizure, LOC over 30 minutes, or worsening headache.

  • When to consider retirement

    After multiple concussions with prolonged recovery, persistent cognitive symptoms, or a lower threshold for each injury. A structured, unhurried conversation.

  • CTE and long-term risk

    CTE is a post-mortem diagnosis. We discuss modifiable risk, longitudinal monitoring, and the honest limits of what a scan can tell you now.

  • Red flags after discharge

    Repeated vomiting, worsening headache, weakness or numbness, unusual behaviour, or a seizure: go straight to A&E, do not wait for clinic.

Reading your clinic letter

Your concussion letter in four parts. Read the last one first.

Whichever centre you attend, the clinician's letter follows the same shape.

  1. 01 Header

    Sport, mechanism and time since injury

    The sport, the mechanism (tackle, ball strike, fall), time since impact, and prior concussion history including any that were undiagnosed at the time.

  2. 02 Assessment

    SCAT-6, VOMS and neurocognitive scores

    Symptom score out of 132, VOMS provocation, King-Devick time, dual-task balance and ImPACT percentiles. Compared to baseline where possible.

  3. 03 Findings

    Vestibular, cervicogenic and oculomotor

    Which subsystem is driving symptoms. This is what shapes rehab: vestibular physio, cervical mobilisation, oculomotor retraining or a combination.

  4. 04 Impression

    Return-to-play stage and next review

    Read this first: which of the 6 Amsterdam stages you are on, target heart rate if on Buffalo protocol, and the date of your next clinic review.

Recognised by major UK insurers

BupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealix

Frequently asked

Everything we get asked about concussion.

  • How soon can I return to play after a concussion?

    Not before you have cleared the Amsterdam consensus 6-stage protocol, with 24 hours minimum at each stage. The fastest realistic return in a symptom-free adult is around 7 to 10 days, and only after formal clearance from a sports and exercise medicine consultant. Contact sport before then risks second impact syndrome.

  • Will my insurance cover a private concussion clinic?

    Most major UK insurers (Bupa, AXA, Vitality, Aviva, WPA, Cigna) cover concussion assessment and rehab when it is medically indicated. Return-to-play certification for professional or amateur sport is often self-pay, as is medico-legal work.

  • My child had a concussion at school rugby. Are the rules different?

    Yes. Under-19 protocols are more cautious: a minimum 14 days symptom-free before graduated return-to-play begins, and return-to-learn (school) sits before return-to-play (sport).

  • My symptoms have lasted weeks. Is that normal?

    Around 15 to 20% of concussions cause symptoms beyond 4 weeks. This is post-concussion syndrome and needs active multidisciplinary rehab, not more rest: vestibular physio for dizziness, cervical work for headache, sub-threshold aerobic exercise for fatigue, and neuropsychology for mood and cognition.

  • Do I need an MRI?

    Usually no. Routine concussion is a functional injury and MRI is normal. Imaging is reserved for red flags: loss of consciousness over 30 minutes, focal neurological deficit, seizure, worsening headache, or vomiting. DTI and susceptibility-weighted imaging are research tools, not routine clinical care.

  • I played rugby for 15 years. Am I at risk of CTE?

    Repeat head impact exposure is a modifiable risk factor for later cognitive decline, but CTE itself can only be diagnosed post-mortem. A baseline neurology and neuropsychology assessment gives you a reference point for future monitoring, and we discuss lifestyle and medical modifiers frankly. We do not sell scans that cannot answer the question.

Related treatments and tests

Looking for something else?