Concussion
Protect your brain health and safely return to sport with structured, medical-led care across our Sydney clinics.
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Understanding Concussions
A concussion is a traumatic brain injury caused by a direct impact or transmitted force to the body, leading to a temporary impairment of brain function. This evolving injury can disrupt your ability to concentrate, sleep, and perform daily tasks. Early assessment and guidance helps set a framework for recovery for both return to normal life along with returning to play.
Symptoms may not appear immediately but often include headaches, dizziness, confusion, nausea, and sensitivity to light or noise. A concussion can disrupt your cognitive function, making work, study, and social interactions challenging due to fatigue and sleep disturbances. Continuing to play or returning to sport prematurely elevates the risk of prolonged symptoms.
If a concussion is suspected, you must be removed from play immediately, following the "if in doubt, sit them out" principle. Early medical review establishes a baseline to safely guide your return to learning and sport, especially for adolescents who require a conservative approach.
After immediate removal from the field, a follow-up medical assessment should occur within 24 to 72 hours to plan your rehabilitation pathway.
While all athletes can suffer concussions, children and teenagers require careful management due to their developing brains and longer expected recovery times.
Seek emergency medical care immediately if you experience deteriorating consciousness, repeated vomiting, severe neck pain, or progressive confusion.
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Modern concussion management has moved away from the outdated "wait and see" approach in favour of active, evidence-based rehabilitation. Specialised care ensures your brain is sufficiently recovered before facing the high-velocity demands of competition again.
An initial period of relative rest for 24 to 48 hours is vital, followed by a supervised progression that includes targeted vestibular and oculomotor training.
Our physiotherapists at our two locations in Ultimo and Lewisham proudly service Sydney and the Inner West, offering targeted rehabilitation for complex cases and prolonged concussive symptoms.
A successful recovery plan must be progressive, highly individualised, and aligned with the Graded Return to Sport Framework. While sports differ, all rehabilitation pathways safely rebuild your cognitive and athletic capacity step-by-step.
The first 24 to 48 hours focus on relative cognitive and physical rest to manage immediate symptoms and allow the brain to settle.
This phase involves safely resuming light daily activities, work or study, and introducing gentle aerobic exercise without provoking symptoms.
We gradually increase exercise intensity and cognitive demands, progressing from non-contact training to full contact play only after formal medical clearance.
Who treats this?
Our experienced team members are ready to help. See their bios below and book online when ready.
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All major health funds accepted
Private health claiming via Tyro Health EFTPOS terminal
FAQ
Timelines vary by sport and competition level. In 2026, the AFL requires a 12-day stand-down for elites, and 21 days for community leagues. The NRL mandates 11 days for elites and adults, but 19 days for youth. The AIS national baseline for youth and community sports requires a 21-day minimum before competitive contact play resumes.
Routine imaging is usually not required; a thorough clinical examination is the primary tool, with scans reserved to exclude more serious structural injuries.
Current evidence shows that strict, prolonged rest delays recovery; instead, an active, graded return to sub-threshold loading leads to better outcomes.
You must be removed from play immediately and undergo a medical review within 24 to 72 hours to start a structured management plan.
Yes, specific physiotherapy focusing on the neck, balance, and visual systems is supported by evidence to facilitate faster and more complete symptom resolution.