Often quick acceleration/deceleration motions where the head doesn’t strike anything, (such as with whiplash) can cause more significant injuries. This results in the initial cause of damage to brain tissue, nerve pathways, and neural cells that occurs with a concussion.Ī concussion does not have to involve a direct impact, such as your head hitting the ground. This rapid forceful stop creates excessive movement of your brain inside your skull (too much than the surrounding “cushion” can protect against). Examples include: striking your head on the floor after falling down the stairs a football player being struck by an opposing player as they are moving forward a driver’s head snapping from side-to-side as she is “T-boned” by another car. This acts like an insulating cushion for your brain by allowing it to gently move within the skull as you move your head and body.Ī concussion involves a sudden deceleration or stop in head movement. Your brain is surrounded by layers of soft tissue (meninges) and cerebrospinal fluid. And almost half of the population has experienced a concussion in their lifetime (3). This figure adds up when you consider that nearly 300,000 traumatic head injuries are reported yearly in Canada (2).

In fact, one study showed that up to 84% of concussions end up with this chronic diagnosis of post-concussion syndrome or PCS (1).

Concussions that are more severe, or have several symptoms, are more likely to transition to post concussion syndrome, as can a lack of proper management of an initial concussion. Post concussion syndrome is where the symptoms related to a concussion have persisted past the initial 7-10 day period of time.

a focal (or specific) neurological issue following the incident.

an alteration in mental state at time of the injury.

loss of memory before or after the incident.

It can be more specifically defined by any of the following: It is often called an mTBI (minor traumatic brain injury) and can involve direct or indirect head impact. Certified Vestibular and Concussion PhysiotherapistĪ concussion is a change in normal brain functioning as a result of exposure to a mechanical force.

Impulsive force concussion