Sport Related Concussion

Did you know 

that most people do not even have a clue about concussions and how long a sport related concussion lasts? Did you that just resting after concussion is not good enough? Did you know that concussions are treatable with exercise?

Most people think you need to rest to take care of a concussion and then you can resume normal activity. This is how concussion were treated in the past. Now there is so much more awareness and treatment for concussions.

So what exactly is a sport related concussion?

A sport related concussion is a traumatic brain injury caused by biomechanical forces applied directly or indirectly to the head. You do not need to be knocked out to have a concussion.
For example a hard fall to the ground can lead to forces transmitted to the head.

Inside the Head

Inside the head there is stretching of nerve cells. In particular it is the axon that leads to a complex pathophysiologic process affecting the brain. In other words there is a chemical shake up.
The shape and structure of the nerve cell changes and thus so does function. If we think of a nerve cell like a round soccer ball, it now becomes like an oval football.

How Long Does a Concussion Last?

What most people do not know is that the concussion itself last anywhere from 7 to 30 or even 45 days depending on the research you read. Animal studies (mice) indicate that the actual concussion lasts 7-15 days where as human studies indicate up to as long as 30 -45 days. It takes this long for the nerve cell to return to its “normal” shape (soccer ball) and function.

Concussion Symptoms

The most common symptoms for concussions are: headache, dizziness, sleep difficulties and concentration.

How Long do Concussion Symptoms Last?

80-85% of the symptoms of sport related concussions disappear within 10 -15 days. Although the headaches and dizziness may have disappeared the brain is still working to fix the injured nerve cells.

If you return to work or sport too quickly you risk a longer time for recovery and possibly death.
Assessment of A Sport Related Concussion

An assessment of a sport related concussion is clinical. At this point in time there is no %100 conclusive test that diagnosis a concussion. Bloods tests, x-rays and MRI’s do not diagnose a concussion.

A concussion is assessed through very thorough subjective and physical testing. Most concussion testing should last at least 45 minutes.

Treatment of Concussions

Treatment for a concussion will vary depending on the severity of the signs and symptoms. I treat concussions with Matrix Repatterning, Craniosacral Therapy and exercise.