Concussion Rehabilitation

Concussion Rehabilitation

Did you know that you don’t need to hit your head in order to sustain a concussion? Or that less than 20% of concussions result in a loss of consciousness? Our understanding of concussion has evolved significantly but there are still many misconceptions regarding concussion and concussion management within the media and the world of medicine.

Concussion is a functional injury. This means imaging such as a CT scan or MRI will appear normal. For that reason, it is important to remember that just because we can’t see the injury, doesn’t mean something isn’t wrong!

The International Consensus Statement defined concussion as: a “traumatic brain injury induced by biomechanical forces.” A concussion can be caused by a direct or indirect blow or jolt to the head, face, jaw, neck, or upper body. As a result of the direct or indirect blow, the brain experiences a rapid acceleration, and deceleration force within the skull. This force stretches the nerve fibres within the brain, altering important metabolic pathways and releasing various neurotransmitters, which creates a biochemical imbalance. This imbalance results in a temporary energy deficit, meaning the brain’s energy store is unable to produce the energy required to sustain its normal activity. Recovery from this energy deficit varies between individuals.

In most cases, concussion symptoms will improve within 7-10 days. Occasionally, symptoms will resolve prior to metabolic recovery within the brain, which is misleading and often results in an individual returning to activity too early. This is why working with a trained healthcare professional to guide you safely back to things like work, and sport is so important.

In 30-40% of cases an individual’s symptoms will persist beyond the normal metabolic healing time. This is referred to as Post-Concussion Syndrome (PCS). If metabolically my brain has healed, then why would I still have symptoms? It is suspected that persistent symptoms are linked to functional disruptions within various systems in the body. Common causes of PCS include blood flow dysregulation, metabolic/ inflammatory/hormonal changes, cervical spine dysfunction, visual and/or vestibular impairments, and psychological contributions.

Your physiotherapist will evaluate your symptoms associated with the concussion in addition to assessing areas such as your neck, vestibular system, and visual system. Treatment typically includes a combination of education, symptom management strategies, exercises, manual therapy, planning for return to work, school, or sport, as well as referring to other specialists, as appropriate.

Common signs and symptoms of a concussion

Physical

  • Headache

  • Neck pain

  • Sensitivity to light and noise

  • Dizziness

  • Visual changes

  • Balance issues

  • Nausea

  • Vomiting

Cognitive

  • Memory issues

  • Difficulty concentrating

  • Confusion

  • Feeling slowed down

  • Feeling “in a fog”

  • Trouble thinking clearly

Emotional

  • Anxiety

  • Nervousness

  • Depression

  • Sadness

  • Irritability

  • More emotional

Sleep

  • Fatigue

  • Low energy

  • Sleeping more or less

  • Difficulty falling asleep

NOTE: if you experience any ONE or more of the following symptoms after sustaining a significant impact to the head or body, this should be considered a suspected concussion and be assessed by a qualified healthcare professional.

Why choose Focused Care Physiotherapy & Wellness?

 

  • We have advanced training and extensive experience in treating concussion and PCS

  • We acknowledge the rapidly evolving research around concussion, and therefore the importance of ongoing post graduate training

  • We work together with local physicians and specialists to optimize patient outcomes

  • We will provide reports to your physician, workplace, school etc.

  • We will help you with return-to-work or return-to-learn planning

  • We are mindful of the effects of overstimulation post concussion, and strive to create a clinic environment that does not exacerbate symptoms (i.e. no loud music, private treatment rooms, and a dimmer switch in all treatment rooms)

Suffering from concussion symptoms?

Contact us

  • I had a head concussion (I fell down eight stairs), and on top of that, I got vertigo (because I hit my head so hard that the internal ear's crystals were misplaced), and then I found InFocus. Their staff is amazing, from day 0, there were welcoming and attentive. They were key players to get me back to my regular life.... The physiotherapist who helped me was Colleen. She is the best!!! Colleen was all the time on top of my therapy, she is a very good listener, and then she knows exactly what to recommend to deal with the concussion and vertigo symptoms. She really cares, she is super kind, and make me laugh a lot.... If I can rate this place with more than 5 stars, I will!

    Liliana Escovar

  • Colleen was beyond helpful in my journey to recovering from a concussion. She was attentive, knowledgeable and very kind during each appointment. I would recommend anyone to go to her for help with vestibular and/or concussion based symptoms!

    Julia F

  • I have been dealing with vestibular issues post concussion for about 4 years now. Colleen was the first person to finally diagnose me and give me exercises for me to feel normal again. She is very attentive, understanding and willing to educate you along the way. I have never received this great of treatment in all of my health journey. I could not recommend her more to anyone struggling with concussion issues, she managed to help me in a matter of weeks!

    Samantha Drost