Concussions

A concussion is an injury to the brain that results in temporary loss of normal brain function. Concussions can be caused by direct trauma to the head, such as from falling, getting hit or being in an accident. They can also occur as a result of rapid acceleration-deceleration of the head, such as in whiplash injuries. Many people assume that concussions involve passing out or a loss of consciousness, but this is not true. In many cases, people with a concussion never lose consciousness. 

A concussion can affect memory, judgment, reflexes, speech, balance and muscle coordination. People with concussions often report a brief period of amnesia or forgetfulness, where they cannot remember what happened immediately before or after the injury. Common Symptoms of Concussion are confusion, headache, vision disturbances (double or blurry vision), dizziness or imbalance, nausea or vomiting, memory loss, ringing ears, difficulty concentrating, sensitivity to light, loss of smell or taste, trouble falling asleep. 

If any of these occur after a blow to the head, a health-care professional should be consulted as soon as possible. 

Following a concussion, athletes need to be aware that it will take time to return to normal activities. Below you will find the return-to-sport strategy that we use. Please note that each stage of the process takes a minimum of 24hrs, meaning a post concussion recovery time is a minimum of five days.