Return to Physical Activity After Concussion

Following Concussion, Registered Physiotherapist runs a comprehensive physical exertion test before returning to your favorite sport. Premature return to sport or resume regular duties at work can bring back the concussion symptoms and delay the recovery process.

Quick Return to Sport activity following concussion can divert significant amounts of energy from healing brain and can significantly hamper the healing process. Thus, Registered Physiotherapist in Mississauga prescribe structured exercises to facilitate return to your favorite sport. These protocols prevent significant shift of energy from healing brain while gradually building up your endurance to tolerate more strenuous activities. This will assist us from achieving the goal without worsening your concussion symptoms or delay recovery from concussion. 

Typically, on days when you are symptomatic balance of rest and light to moderate amount of activities are advised. The intensity of physical exertion is dictated by your overall symptoms. Mild activities like running household chores- doing laundary, folding clothes, assisting in kitchen activities, vaccuming etc and doing gentle stretches for your arms and legs is generally recommended during the initial phases. These activities are interspersed with rest to avoid excessive fatigue. Activity levels are graduated to walking around the block or assisting into doing grocery shopping. This is again monitored closely by your Physiotherapist to ensure any relapse of symptoms as exertional levels are increased.

Once concussed individual is symptom free for most part of above mentioned activities Registered Physiotherapist will design exercise program that typically involves warm up, aerobic exercises and cool down. Your Registered Physiotherapist will use your heart rate and level of perceived exertion to progress the intensity of exercise. Treadmill and Static bicycle are great equipment to help in building your cardiovascular endurance. Add on to these equipment, could be exercises to help you build up your balance and coordination that is most likely affected following concussion. Sharpening your balance reflexes greatly helps to build up your agility and enhance your sport performance.

Registered Physiotherapist in Mississauga will design exercises specific to the sport that you want to get back to. These might involve improving your muscle recruitment to get you better at your golf wings or improving your tandem balance to perform more efficiently in your hockey game. These exercises help you improve your overall sports performance. During later phase of return to sport program, more complex physical tasks are added to improve your ability to perform under pressure. Cognitive tasks are added as the complexity of physical activities are increased to challenge athlete’s decision making skills. This has been an essential skill to enhance performance in any given sport.

Our registered Physiotherapist will walk you through your road to recovery practising in simulated environment to actual sports field.