What Is A Concussion?
A concussion is a brain injury caused by acceleration or deceleration of the brain following a significant impact to the head or elsewhere on the body. The impact causes dysfunction within brain cells and decreased blood flow, resulting in temporary deficits in brain function.
Symptoms may include loss of consciousness, headache, pressure in the head, neck pain, nausea or vomiting, cognitive problems, dizziness, or balance problems, among others.
To further understand what a concussion is, watch this video for a deeper explanation from Dr. Cameron Marshall (@Concussion_Doc)!
Treating Concussion
Following a concussion injury, it is recommended that you seek the care of a healthcare professional with training and experience in concussion as soon as possible. In fact, recent studies have concluded that one of the best predictors of concussion recovery was how fast you were assessed at a concussion clinic.
The earlier you seek quality concussion care, the better your recovery will be.
Generally, a period of relative “symptom-limited” physical and cognitive rest is recommended for the first 24-48 hours after injury. After this rest period, a gradual increase in mental and physical activity is recommended. For optimal recovery, this process should be directed and supervised by a licensed healthcare practitioner trained in concussion management.
If symptoms of a concussion are still present after 7 to 10 days, an individualized treatment and rehabilitation program should be initiated.
The scientific evidence indicates that concussion is best treated with early application of specific cardio exercise programs, rehabilitation for the visual and vestibular systems, treatment aimed at the neck and associated whiplash, dietary and supplement recommendations, as well as patient education.
Our Treatments
We have a range of evidence-based concussion treatment services & strategies including:
Balance Rehab
Vision Rehab
Exercise Rehab
Cognitive Testing
Pre-Season Testing
Nutritional Interventions
Integrated Manual Therapy
Return to Work & Sport
Spotlight on: Pre-Season Testing
Multimodal pre-season testing (AKA Baseline Concussion Testing) is a series of physical and cognitive tests that provide a pre-injury overview of healthy brain function. In other words, we test your balance, your reaction time, your memory, your visual tracking speed, and a whole bunch of other brain functions. This gives us a map of how your brain functions when you are healthy.
If you sustain a concussion, we can use your pre-injury results to see not only where the deficits are, but how much deficit exists. This can help us both with our treatment strategy and with developing a better understanding of when you’re brain has recovered and you are safe to return to your sport.
It’s important to remember that not all baseline testing is created equal. The Complete Concussions protocol is unique in that it combines the best evidence- based tools available so that you are getting the most complete brain map available.
Blue Sky Physiotherapy can offer pre-season testing alongside a full concussion management programme for professional and amateur sports teams, as well as school or college teams. Please get in touch to find out more.
Blue Sky Physiotherapy is a certified Complete Concussions clinic
