You or your child have been hit during a sport or a fall. Now you have a headache, you feel tired, or you don't feel "like yourself." You wonder if it's a concussion and what you should do. This uncertainty is stressful, especially with all the conflicting information out there.

• Loss of consciousness is NOT necessary; less than 10% of people lose consciousness.
• A single symptom after an impact is enough to suspect a concussion.
• Complete rest in the dark is no longer recommended; relative rest is preferable.
• Consulting a specialized physical therapist quickly significantly speeds up recovery.

This article helps you understand this injury. For treatment steps, see our guide on treating concussions.

What is a concussion?

A concussion is a disruption of brain function caused by an external force that leads to significant acceleration of the brain within the skull. This results in stretching and twisting of the brain and its cells (neurons).

Signs and symptoms

are non-specific (as they can be present with other conditions), but the most common are headaches, dizziness, excessive fatigue, difficulty concentrating, sleep disturbances, and sensitivity to light or noise. These may appear immediately at the time of injury or in the hours or even days that follow.

Physiotherapy can assess and treat concussions. Before consulting a physiotherapist, make sure they have the expertise to manage this type of injury, as not all physiotherapists are comfortable with this condition. Did you know that concussion treatment can include physical activity, cognitive exercises, eye exercises, neck exercises, and balance exercises?

Most concussions tend to resolve without specific intervention within 10 to 14 days, although some suggest a recovery period of up to three weeks. In any case, it is important to apply the correct recommendations and protocol immediately after the injury. Many concussions do not heal on their own and require management to recover. Each concussion is unique and behaves differently depending on the individual.

It is true that concussions often come with headaches, but it is certain that this injury leads to many other physical and psychological consequences. So, it is not an injury to be taken lightly!

To learn more

Concussion Blog

about concussions, see the concussion section (link to the concussion page of the pathologies) and read these two articles (link to blog #2 and #10) to learn more about the steps in concussion treatment.

Concussion Podcast

You can also listen to episode 6 of the podcast on concussions Parle-moi de santé produced by one of our physiotherapists, Alexis Gougeon.

Episode #6 discusses concussions.

You can also find the podcast episode on the following platforms:

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Spotify

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Sources

• Concussion Task Force (March 2015). REPORT OF THE TASK FORCE ON CONCUSSIONS Occurring in the Context of Recreational and Sports Activities. Legal deposit – Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec, 2015. http://www.education.gouv.qc.ca/fileadmin/site_web/documents/loisir-sport/rapportgroupedetravail_commotions.pdf
• McCrory P, Meeuwisse W, Dvorak J, Aubry M, Bailes J, Broglio S, Cantu RC, Cassidy D, Echemendia RJ, Castellani RJ, Davis GA. Consensus statement on concussion in sport, the 5th international conference on concussion in sport held in Berlin, October 2016. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2017 Jun 1;51(11):838-47.

10 mini-tips to understand your pain

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