Concussion Recovery in Coquitlam: Why Physiotherapy Actually Helps
Hit your head? Whether it happened during a game, a car accident, or that time you walked directly into a cabinet door (we've all been there), concussions are confusing and honestly kind of scary. One minute you're fine, the next you're dizzy, can't focus, and everything feels... off.
Here's what most people don't know: sitting in a dark room waiting it out isn't actually the best way to recover. Research now shows that active rehabilitation—especially physiotherapy—gets you feeling like yourself again faster and more completely.
So What Actually Happens When You Get a Concussion?
A concussion is basically your brain getting jostled around inside your skull. The impact triggers a cascade of chemical and metabolic changes that mess with how your brain functions. The frustrating part? CT scans and MRIs usually look totally normal because concussions are functional injuries, not structural ones.
But here's where it gets interesting (and explains why physio works): concussions don't just affect your brain. They often involve your neck, your balance system, your vision, and the part of your nervous system that controls things like heart rate. This is why your symptoms are all over the place, and why treating just one thing doesn't cut it.
The Symptoms No One Warns You About
Cognitive stuff: Brain fog, memory issues, can't concentrate. Usually these improve first with the right treatment.
Physical symptoms: Headaches are huge—86% of people with concussions get them. Plot twist: these often come from neck injury, not the brain injury itself. Dizziness and balance problems? Usually your vestibular system (inner ear balance stuff) acting up.
Emotional changes: Anxiety, irritability, mood swings. Sometimes it's the neurochemical changes. Sometimes it's just frustration because you don't feel like yourself and you're worried about when you'll get better.
Sleep issues: Can't fall asleep, or you're exhausted all the time. Your nervous system's internal clock is temporarily broken.
Understanding that these symptoms come from different sources is why the "comprehensive assessment" thing actually matters (even though we know that phrase sounds corporate and boring).
What a Physiotherapy Assessment Actually Looks Like
We're checking multiple systems to figure out exactly what's causing your specific symptoms:
Your neck: 80% of concussions come with neck dysfunction. The same force that rattled your brain probably whiplashed your neck. We assess range of motion, muscle tension, joint movement, and posture. Neck problems are often the hidden culprit behind headaches and dizziness.
Your balance system: We test whether your inner ear and spatial orientation are working properly. This helps us figure out if the dizziness is coming from your ear or your brain's processing center.
Your eye movements: Eye control gets messed up after concussions more often than you'd think. We test how your eyes track moving objects, jump between targets, and focus on close-up things. When this isn't working right, reading and computer work become exhausting.
Your autonomic nervous system: This is the system that controls automatic functions like heart rate. When it's off, exercise becomes weirdly difficult and symptoms flare up with activity. We monitor your heart rate during movement to see how your system's coping.
Balance and coordination: Even after other symptoms improve, balance issues can linger. We test this to catch problems you might not even notice yet.
How Physiotherapy Actually Helps (The Practical Stuff)
Modern concussion care is about active rehabilitation, not just waiting it out. Here's what that looks like:
Treating Your Neck
If your neck's involved (and it usually is), we use hands-on techniques to reduce pain and restore normal movement—joint mobilization, releasing tight muscles, fixing your posture, strengthening exercises. For a lot of people, fixing the neck dramatically reduces headaches and dizziness.
Vestibular Rehab (Balance System Retraining)
If you're dizzy or having balance issues, we use specific exercises to retrain your vestibular system:
Gaze stabilization exercises reduce dizziness when you move your head
Progressive balance training builds stability and confidence
Habituation exercises (controlled exposure to triggering movements) help your nervous system adapt
Eye Movement Training
Targeted exercises for convergence, tracking, and quick eye movements. Studies show this significantly improves reading tolerance and reduces symptoms for people with oculomotor problems.
Graded Exercise
Once acute symptoms settle, carefully progressed aerobic exercise becomes crucial. We exercise you at intensities just below your symptom threshold, then gradually increase as your tolerance improves. This restores autonomic function and prepares you to get back to real life.
We monitor your heart rate and symptoms during exercise, adjusting as you improve. Research shows this approach speeds recovery and reduces the risk of symptoms dragging on for months.
Getting Back to Your Life (Without Rushing It)
We guide you through staged progressions whether you're returning to sport, work, school, or just normal life. Each stage takes at least 24 hours, and you only move forward if symptoms stay stable.
Athletes: Progress from light aerobic activity through sport-specific training to full participation.
Work/school: Might need shortened days, reduced workload, frequent breaks, temporary accommodations. We work with employers and schools to figure out what makes sense.
Driving: Requires specific assessment of reaction time, attention, and neck mobility before you're cleared.
Why Timing Matters
Initial rest for 24-48 hours is fine. But prolonged inactivity actually increases your risk of persistent symptoms. Research shows that starting active rehab within the first week leads to faster recovery compared to extended rest.
Bottom line: Don't wait weeks to see if symptoms resolve on their own. Getting assessed within the first week gives you the best shot at complete recovery.
Special Situations
Teens and young adults: Developing brains need longer recovery and more conservative progression, especially with school pressure.
Pregnancy and postpartum: Hormonal changes affect recovery, and many symptom medications aren't safe during pregnancy. Physio becomes even more important as a drug-free treatment option.
Older adults: Higher risk of prolonged symptoms and falls. Treatment emphasizes safety and functional independence.
When Symptoms Stick Around
About 10-15% of people develop persistent symptoms lasting beyond three months. Good news: comprehensive physiotherapy assessment often identifies treatable problems like chronic neck dysfunction, vestibular impairment, or deconditioning—not ongoing brain injury. Many people with persistent symptoms improve significantly once underlying issues are properly addressed.
For complex cases, we collaborate with physicians, neuropsychologists, and occupational therapists.
What to Expect in Treatment
Initially weekly appointments (45-60 minutes), decreasing as you improve:
Symptom monitoring and progress tracking
Hands-on treatment for neck or other physical issues
Supervised exercise prescription and progression
Education about recovery and self-management
Coordination with other healthcare providers when needed
Most people with straightforward concussions recover fully within 4-6 weeks with appropriate management. Persistent symptoms may need longer treatment, but outcomes are still excellent with comprehensive care.
When to Get Emergency Care
Most concussions are managed conservatively, but these symptoms need immediate medical attention:
Severe or worsening headache despite treatment
Repeated vomiting
Seizures
Increasing confusion
Unusual behavior changes or extreme irritability
Weakness or numbness in limbs
Loss of consciousness
Unequal pupil sizes or vision changes
The Bottom Line
Concussion management has evolved. Physiotherapy is now recognized as essential for optimal recovery because we assess and treat the multiple systems involved—not just the brain injury itself, but the neck, balance, vision, and autonomic problems that often perpetuate symptoms.
If you've had a concussion, don't just wait and hope. Early physiotherapy assessment and intervention give you the best shot at complete recovery and getting back to everything that matters.
For folks in Coquitlam, Port Moody, Port Coquitlam, and Surrey: accessing qualified physio care early makes a real difference. Whether you're an athlete trying to get back in the game or just someone who wants to feel normal again, evidence-based treatment works.
References
Schneider, K. J., et al. (2017). Rest and treatment/rehabilitation following sport-related concussion: A systematic review. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 51(12), 838-842.
Marshall, C. M., et al. (2015). The role of the cervical spine in post-concussion syndrome. PM&R, 7(8), 827-837.
Leddy, J. J., et al. (2019). Early subthreshold aerobic exercise for sport-related concussion. Journal of Athletic Training, 54(1), 102-109.