Care & Management
The best care for a concussion is rest, both physical and cognitive.
Physical rest is staying out of PE class, athletic practices, competitions, and fitness activities until all of your symptoms are gone.
Cognitive rest is achieved by eliminating or significantly decreasing time spent reading, watching tv, playing video games, listening to music, studying, or any other activity that stimulates the brain.
Each patient is unique and each injury is unique. Our physicians & staff will make specific recommendations at each stage of the recovery process to ensure that your injury resolves completely before you are returned to full activity. Returning to sports after a concussion is a gradual process. We want to make sure your body & brain and ready for the demands of high levels of activity.
In order to help us make sound return to play decisions, we ask each concussion patient to complete a RETURN TO PLAY PROGRESSION. Ideally, this is completed under the supervision of a certified athletic trainer. This progression is a gradual increase in activity, broken down into stages. Once you are completely symptom free with rest and cognitive exertion for 24 hours, you may be instructed to start a return to play progression by your physician.
Click here for instructions on how to take your resting heart rate and calculate your target heart rate. This helps us measure how hard you are working out.
Each sport places different demands on the body. Click on a sport below to see sport-specific exercises & drills for a variety of sports. If we have left your sport out, we want to know! Email Janna Fonseca at jfonseca@cfpsm.com with questions regarding a sport not listed below.
