Return to Learn: A review of cognitive rest versus rehabilitation after sports concussion

Abstract

Additional controlled trials of cognitive rehabilitation are needed to establish best clinical practice. The authors suggest memory training, cognitive behavioral therapy, and environmental interventions as areas of future research for sports concussion injuries.

Overcoming Knowledge Barriers for Inclusion of School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists in the Management of Students with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

“…These studies and others provide important evidence for an updated recommendation of moderate levels of activity, allowing a student a short period of strict rest (i.e., 1-2 days), but then allowing the student to engage in typical activities (such as going to school) at a slightly reduced level of exertion. 3,57 Activity levels should be driven by symptoms, so that low-to-mild symptom provocation is acceptable, but activity levels that trigger moderate-tosevere symptoms should be restricted. The most recent literature is now exploring the effects of active rehabilitation, or providing rehabilitative treatment of mTBI symptoms during the recovery period, rather than waiting for the injury to resolve itself.…”

High School Student Concussion Recovery Program

“…It took three days longer for 50% of the patients in the strict rest group to recover. Additionally, this group reported a significantly higher total number of post-concussion symptoms with a higher trajectory of emotional symptoms (Eastman & Chang, 2015). It is thought that prolonged absence from school may be equally as devastating due to the stress of missing academic content and isolation from peers which may contribute to depression and anxiety (DeMatteo, et al, 2015).…”

“…Returning to school has a positive effect on the recovery of athletes. Patients who returned to school performed better on each domain of imPACT testing and reported fewer post-concussion symptoms compared to those that did not return to school (Eastman & Chang, 2015, Majerske et al, 2008.…”

“…A concussion can also be referred to as a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). A concussion is an alteration in brain function due to biomechanical forces affecting the brain that may or may not cause loss of consciousness (Eastman & Chang, 2015;Kelly & Rosenberg, 2001). A concussion may be caused either by a direct blow to the head, face, or neck or force applied to another part of the body that transmits that force to the head.…”

“…Once a student is diagnosed with a concussion, the second step is to spend time resting, both physically and cognitively (Eastman & Chang, 2015 dall, 2015). "The goal during concussion recovery is to avoid overexerting the brain to the level of worsening or reproducing symptoms.…”