08/22/2024
🧠 **Concussion & Activity Tolerance: The Overflowing Pail Analogy**
A literal and a favourite analogy here at the clinic…
Imagine your brain as a pail, holding the energy you need to get through your day. For someone with an acute concussion, that pail becomes much smaller. Every task—whether it’s using a smartphone, reading, or working on a computer—adds more to the pail. When it overflows, symptoms like headaches, dizziness, and fatigue intensify. This is the “energy crisis” often talked about in concussion recovery.
After a concussion, the brain’s energy supply is temporarily reduced, making it harder to handle even routine activities. Treatment isn’t just about rest; it’s about finding the right balance of activity and recovery to gradually expand your pail without causing it to overflow.
Physiotherapy is a cornerstone of concussion management, offering a range of therapies. Vestibular rehab helps with dizziness and balance issues, manual therapy alleviates neck pain, exercise therapy is customized to your needs, and visual rehab addresses vision-related symptoms. But recovery doesn’t stop there. Chiropractic care, osteopathy, acupuncture, and other holistic therapies can complement your treatment plan, helping to manage symptoms and enhance overall recovery.
Remember, it’s okay to start small and gradually work your way up. Protect your pail, and with time, your brain will regain its full capacity.
