The First 24-48 Hours

Rest and light stretching is considered best the first 24-48 hours after the initial injury. Thanks to research, the days of sitting in a dark room and doing nothing are gone and has been shown to hinder recovery. After the first 48 hours, start light mental & physical activities as soon as you are able to tolerate them. You must pay attention to symptoms. Do not push through symptoms as this only prolongs recovery. Operate just below or slightly above your tolerance threshold. Not sure what mental & physical activities to do? For a guide, follow the 6 Phase Recovery Action Plan

If you have a concussion and wait to see a trained concussion specialist until after the first 10 days of the injury, you are increasing your chances of persistent concussion symptoms. Don’t do what I did. Don’t wait. Get checked out by a trained concussion professional as soon as possible.

On average, 30-40% of all concussion patients (kids and adults) will have prolonged concussion symptoms past 4 weeks.

At Complete Concussion Management Clinics in Toronto, ON, less than 5% of patients that are seen by trained concussion professionals within the first 5-7 days post injury have persistent concussion symptoms. Thats a big difference!

If a concussion is initially managed properly by the patient as well as the healthcare provider giving advice, the injury causes less symptoms in the long run. What To Do If You Just Had A Concussion Concussion (Marshall 2021).

While you may have to wait days to be seen by a medical professional, you can jump start recovery by following the 6 Phase Recovery Action Plan