Concussion Awareness
Did you know that physical therapy can help those who have suffered from a concussion? When many people think about physical therapy, they think of it helping those who tore their ACL or injured their shoulder. Not many think of how physical therapy can aid in recovery from head injuries, such as concussions.
Concussions occur frequently in adults and children who participate in full-contact sports or in those who have fallen and suffered a blow to the head. After the blow, the brain is jostled inside of the skull, and sometimes bumps into the inside of the skull. This can cause temporary, or even permanent, damage to the brain depending on the severity of the head trauma.
Immediately after a concussion, we recommend the patient rests in order to begin their recovery process. Do not return to physical activity, work, school, or any other activity until a physician states that it is safe to do so. Once the immediate symptoms of the concussion begin to fade, the recovery process can begin with physical therapy!
Physical therapy can help someone regain balance, focus, gait, and vision stability in those who are recovering from a concussion. Everyone recovers at their own pace, so treatments are created to suit each individual. Our goal is to aid individuals in returning to a high quality of life, without worries of their symptoms hindering their day-to-day lives. We provide exercises for our patients to complete at our clinic as well as at home. We show them exercises to increase aerobic capacity so the brain can keep up with the demands of physical tasks. We also teach patients ways to cope with activities that may trigger their symptoms. We also offer rehabilitation techniques to help patients recover their balance and more.
With these exercises and treatments, concussion victims may be able to return to a higher quality of life.
