Post-Concussion Physical Therapy: Getting the Timing Right

In this episode, we discuss a new randomized controlled trial that challenges one of the most common concussion recovery strategies: waiting. Researchers found that people with mild traumatic brain injuries who started physical therapy earlier experienced faster symptom improvement than those who delayed treatment.We break down what this means for headaches, dizziness, brain fog, return to work, return to sport, and why the timing of rehabilitation may be just as important as the treatment itself. If you've ever wondered whether "just rest" is enough after a concussion, this episode is for you.Source: Kody R Campbell, Prokopios Antonellis, Robert J Peterka, Jennifer L Wilhelm, Kathleen T Scanlan, Natalie C Pettigrew, Siting Chen, Lucy Parrington, Peter C Fino, James C Chesnutt, Fay B Horak, Timothy E Hullar, Laurie A King, In People With Subacute Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, Earlier Physical Therapy Improved Symptoms at a Faster Rate Than Later Physical Therapy: Randomized Controlled Trial, Physical Therapy, Volume 105, Issue 2, February 2025, pzae180, https://doi.org/10.1093/ptj/pzae180