#55 - Concussion Protocol for Physical Therapy

Last week we kicked off our physical therapist in concussion management series. Today, we’ll be diving deeper by discussing concussion protocol for physical therapy.

Before recovery begins, a patient must undergo a clinical interview to determine their treatment path forward. There are six clinical trajectories a patient may fall under including vestibular, ocular, cognitive fatigue, post-traumatic migraine, cervical, or mood. This step in the physical therapy concussion protocol allows clinicians to make treatment and recovery plans that meet each patient’s needs.

If a patient’s trajectory is vestibular, ocular, or cervical, they receive a physical therapy referral. Patients who fall under these categories may report headaches, dizziness, neck pain, fatigue, balance disturbances, oculomotor changes, or decreased coordination.