Concussions will continue to be a hot topic in the world of sports and sports medicine. More and more research is being performed to help guide the care following a concussive event. Initial thoughts focused on strict rest even outside of the sport to decrease stimulation and arousal. Now more evidence is illustrating the benefits of light activity to aid in the recovery/rehab from a concussive event.
One aspect of the recovery/rehab process that may be overlooked is focusing on restoring the proprioceptive mechanisms of the body. Concussions impact the neural pathways of the body and those receptors that aid in positional awareness are impacted by the trauma. Many times the recovery/rehab process focuses on the cognitive aspect and gradual return to increasing intensities of exercise but lack the integration of balance and proprioception.
Below is an infographic that illustrates the likelihood of a lower extremity musculoskeletal injury following a concussion.
If you have a young athlete dealing with the effects of a concussion, make sure recovery/rehab focuses on improving every aspect of health and fitness for return to sport participation.