The Athletes' Guide to a Concussion: Part 1

Concussions are one of the most common sports injuries, but they’re also one of the most misunderstood! Knowing what a concussion is, how it’s diagnosed, and what symptoms to watch for is essential for safe recovery and return to activity.

At Physical Edge Physiotherapy, we help athletes and active individuals manage concussions safely. Below is part one of our guide to help you understand concussions, paired with a video that walks through the key points in detail.

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What is a concussion?

• A mild traumatic brain injury caused by acceleration and deceleration of the brain

• The forces on the brain are not large enough to cause any physical damage, therefore nothing would be seen on imaging (i.e. MRI or CT scan)

• Estimated that 10% of athletes in contact sport will experience a concussion at some point in their career

Who can diagnose a concussion? What is required for a diagnosis?

• Although physiotherapists and chiropractors can treat a concussion, only physicians and nurse practitioners are certified to formally diagnose a brain injury

• There are no types of imaging (i.e. MRI or CT scan) or tests (i.e blood tests) that are currently available to diagnose a concussion. Therefore, a concussion is a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning, other injuries need to be ruled out in order to rule in a concussion

What are symptoms of a concussion?

• Vary from headache, dizziness and neck pain to drowsiness, irritability and nervous/anxious

• Can evolve over the course of minutes to hours

• Can spontaneously resolve on its own over the course of 1-3 weeks, but symptoms may persist beyond 30+ days depending on the individual.

  • Symptoms >30 days are considered “persistent concussive symptoms” or “post-concussion syndrome” (PCS).

    
    

What causes the symptoms of a concussion?

• Result from a functional disturbance of the brain and changes of energy levels in the brain (i.e. how the nervous system coordinates action), not a structural change in the brain (i.e. is not from bleeding or bruising in the brain)

• The symptoms and cause of injury of a whiplash (neck injury) are nearly identical to a concussion, however due to the liability of a concussion, we need to treat as if there is a concussion, until proven otherwise 

• A concussion is typically resolved^* in 21-30 days (regardless if the individual is symptomatic or not), however if symptoms persist beyond this time frame, they are considered to be “Persistent Concussive Symptoms” or “Post-Concussion Syndrome” (PCS).

  • *resolved = there is no longer a functional disturbance to the brain/energy level changes in the brain. The individual may not have symptoms while the brain is still resolving the function/energy impairments

Looking out for symptoms early and getting assessed as soon as possible are only the first steps in managing a concussion. Stay tuned for Part 2 of our Concussion Guide next week!

If you believe you may have suffered a concussion, book an appointment with us to get the care you need!

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