Recovery & Treatment
Concussion Recovery: Why “Rest” Isn’t a Plan
After a concussion, people hear one word: rest. Rest matters. But rest is not a strategy. Done poorly, rest becomes isolation and deconditioning. Done poorly the other way, “push through it” becomes symptom flare-ups and longer recovery.
Most people need a middle path: controlled activity with feedback.
The Two Bad Extremes
Total shutdown for weeks: can worsen sleep, mood, and tolerance for activity.
Immediate full-speed return: can spike symptoms and prolong recovery.
A smarter approach is a graded return—guided by symptoms and a clinician when possible.
What “Graded Return” Looks Like
short, tolerable activity,
stop before a major symptom spike,
gradually increase duration and complexity,
monitor patterns (screens, noise, multitasking),
add targeted therapy if specific systems are impaired.
When Therapy Matters
If dizziness, motion sensitivity, or balance issues persist, vestibular therapy can help. If reading causes symptoms or you can’t focus visually, vision therapy screening may be appropriate. If cognition and work tasks are impaired, cognitive rehab can help.
The point is to treat the systems involved, not to “wait harder.”
A Practical Tip
Keep a simple log:
sleep quality,
headache severity,
screen tolerance,
dizziness,
and what activities triggered symptoms.
That log helps clinicians and protects credibility.
Recovery is often measurable. But you have to measure it.
Educational only; not medical advice.
