Ahem......Concussions Are Treatable!!!

You heard me correctly. And I'm as surprised as you. Much of the information covered in last night's webinar reshaped my opinion on concussions and the role of physical therapists within concussion management.

Here's a look at some of the take-away's.

Pathophysiology

#1 cause of Concussions are falls in the elderly.
True cause isn't a coupe/counter coupe as we original hypothesized.
Separation of white and grey matter in the brain , movement/shearing of the axons causes a compromise of cell membrane integrity.
What should come in can't, what should come out can't = metabolic dysfunction
Brain lacks energy during a concussion to function normally
Impaired cerebral blood flow after concussion.
Occurs even when not at rest!
So what: exertional tests are imperative for return to play!

Management

Concussions are Treatable!
Creates an opportunity for our profession to help patients with concussions.
No longer "dark room" strategy!
Active approach with earlier return to activity.
Cognitive, social engagement, progressive exposure and challenges with AN ACCEPTABLE DEGREE OF SYMPTOMS
i.e. headache of 3/10 that stays at 3/10 with activity
24-48 of rest
Then explore tolerance to activity.

Work, Rest, Repeat

Drumroll please...........

Across the board, patients seeking treatment and returning to tolerated activity within 7 days from concussion recovered quicker than those seeking treatment in days 8-21.

The most significant predictor of prolonged recovery is the number of days from injury to clinical care.

Treatment Includes........

Reassurance and evidence based prognosis: 85-90% of symptoms resolve within 2-3 weeks (2-4 for adolescents)

Grandma Knows Best

Sleep regulation
same sleep and wake time after 48 hrs from injury
Nutrition
focus on macro nutrients
Water
minimize caffeine and alcohol
Stress Management
getting back to activities important to the patient
Activity and Movement
without increase in symptoms
exposure to their everyday activities
schools, cell phone use, extracurricular activities

Treat secondary impairments as needed.

Cervical
Vestibular
Oculomotor

WOW

Incredible content and a fantastic evening growing within our company and knowledge of concussion management. Patients with concussions are yet another group physical therapists can "fill in the gap" of care.

If you like what you read but want more become a provider and gain access to this exclusive webinar today. A huge thank you to Nat Grubbs for his informative and entertaining webinar!

Become a Provider

We want to hear from you.

What topics would you like covered in our next webinar?

Winter Webinar Topic