Post-concussion syndrome involves a subset of patients who are experiencing symptoms beyond expected healing rates.
The World Health Organization defines PCS as a persistence of 3 or more of the following after head injury:
On the left are some research articles involving new methods for resolving post-concussion syndrome.
The 'signature injury' suffered by Iraq/Afghanistian veterans is mTBI and concussion. Read current research on the effectiveness of vestibular rehabilitation for veterans who have suffered blast-related head injuries.
This study measures the effect that cervical spine and vestibular rehabilitation has on a patient with persistent concussion symptoms.
Schneider, K., Meeuwisse, W., Nettel-Aguirre, A., Barlow, K., Boyd, L., Kang, J., & Emery, C. (2014). Cervicovestibular rehabilitation in sport-related concussion: A randomised controlled trial. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 48(17), 1294-1298.
This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of subsymptom exercise training for those with a post-concussion symdrome diagnosis.
Leddy, J., Kozlowski, K., Donnelly, J., Pendergast, D., Epstein, L., & Willer, B. (2010). A Preliminary Study of Subsymptom Threshold Exercise Training for Refractory Post-Concussion Syndrome. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 20(1), 21-27.
This review of the research will assist practitioners on how to rehabilitate patients who have suffered concussions, as well as those who are not progressing past some symptoms. Having reviewed research from 1966 to 2011, it shows what has been effective thus far in reducing symptoms and getting patients back to normal function.
Leddy, J., Sandhu, H., Sodhi, V., Baker, J., & Willer, B. (2012). Rehabilitation of Concussion and Post-concussion Syndrome. Sports Health, 4(2), 147-54.
This article discusses the effect of exercise training on participants after a post-concussion syndrome diagnosis and their ability to return to normal physiological function, including autonomic balance and the improvement of cerebral blood flow autoregulation.
Baker, J., Freitas, M., Leddy, J., Kozlowski, K., & Willer, B. (2012). Return to Full Functioning after Graded Exercise Assessment and Progressive Exercise Treatment of Postconcussion Syndrome. Rehabilitation Research and Practice, 1-7.
A review of the current evidence, published between 2001 and 2012, surrounding prognosis and return to play guidelines.
Cancelliere, C., Hincapié, C., Keightley, M., Godbolt, A., Côté, P., Kristman, V., Cassidy, J. (2014). Systematic Review of Prognosis and Return to Play After Sport Concussion: Results of the International Collaboration on Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Prognosis. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 95(3 Suppl), S210-S229.