Mild Concussion: how long did it take to heal?

[hockeymom 2]

A week ago (Tuesday night) my daughter got mild whiplash and mild concussion in a pre-season exhibition game. She didn't blackout and played the full game fine, a little slower than normal, but that's to be expected when you were on the bottom of a couple of encounters. Later that evening, her neck was sore and she had a headache, both of which continued for several days. In fine jock tradition, she wasn't well enough to go to school, but she thought she was (hahaa) fine to go to hockey practice with a stiff neck and headache. Confusion and poor judgment ARE symptoms of concussion! I made her see a Dr to get clearance and, as I suspected, the Dr. benched her. The headache lasted four days (stopped on Saturday) and her neck gradually improved over the week to the point where she has a little stiffness but no pain today. She returned to the Dr today and didn't get clearance to play the (season opening) game tonight.

The Dr. figures she needs at least 10 days to heal; she can go to hockey practice at 65% next week and we'll see how the exertion affects her and take it from there.

So, my questions are: how long did it take before you regained ability to concentrate and could go full tilt boogie? Did you have any lingering problems from a concussion?

[chippa13 1844]

I think the answer that you are going to get the most is that it varies from person to person and there is no set timeframe.

[K9 Unit 1]

i got the same mild whiplash and mild concussion from softball of all sports i didnt have bad headache's and i mainly had more of dazed kinda feeling for a couple days, so its like a really really mild concussion but i was cleared within the week and i felt better a little bit after, so around 7-8 days for me but ye like chippa said it varies

[simnorm 2]

These things vary so much.

I'm 38, I hit my head on the ice, no helmet, playing outdoors last winter. I didn't pass out nor vomit, just a stiff neck for a couple of days. Headaches and dizziness. In total I missed 4 weeks of work and no sports for 6 months. I started training again in August and I'm having a little set back at the moment. I had a cold and played 3 beer league games in the same week, going to bed late at night, kids & work... Trying to juggle to many things at the same time.

Best of luck to your daughter, best advice I get give you is to not rush her return. Even if she gets cleared to play, wait an extra week with plenty of rest.

[BarDownGinos 3]

When I was in HS if anyone got a concussion the rule was 1 week after the headaches go away for return to playing. Going by what we know now about concussions that's really only a very basic rule and it truly does vary from person to person and really only something a certified trainer or doctor can give you a legitimate answer on.

[frankie56 0]

When I was in high school, you kept on playing. Everyone got a good laugh watching you puke and be confused. It was not considered a serious problem unless you were still out cold by the time the trainer arrived. Of course its now difficult to determine if the permanent brain injury many of us have was from the concussions or the drugs.

There is little downside to being conservative and much to lose (permanent injury) by rushing. Good luck with it.

[ktang 34]

Here is a link to USA Hockey's Concussion Protocol

Also, Hockey Canada's information Hockey Canada - Concussion Awareness

[Chadd 916]

A week ago (Tuesday night) my daughter got mild whiplash and mild concussion in a pre-season exhibition game. She didn't blackout and played the full game fine, a little slower than normal, but that's to be expected when you were on the bottom of a couple of encounters. Later that evening, her neck was sore and she had a headache, both of which continued for several days. In fine jock tradition, she wasn't well enough to go to school, but she thought she was (hahaa) fine to go to hockey practice with a stiff neck and headache. Confusion and poor judgment ARE symptoms of concussion! I made her see a Dr to get clearance and, as I suspected, the Dr. benched her. The headache lasted four days (stopped on Saturday) and her neck gradually improved over the week to the point where she has a little stiffness but no pain today. She returned to the Dr today and didn't get clearance to play the (season opening) game tonight.

The Dr. figures she needs at least 10 days to heal; she can go to hockey practice at 65% next week and we'll see how the exertion affects her and take it from there.

So, my questions are: how long did it take before you regained ability to concentrate and could go full tilt boogie? Did you have any lingering problems from a concussion?

Neither one of you will like my input. I got a "moderate" concussion at work and wasn't "right" for 9 or 10 months. That didn't stop me from playing off and on, and making really stupid decisions along the way.

[troy 12]

I think the answer that you are going to get the most is that it varies from person to person and there is no set timeframe.

Exactly, with concussions different persons' experiences aren't transferrable. When she has been symptom free for around a week and can sustain periods of moderate to serious exercise then attempt a return. After my most recent concussion I couldn't ride in cars for about three weeks because I could feel every little bump in the road jostling my brain and intensifying my headache.

[Chadd 916]

Exactly, with concussions different persons' experiences aren't transferrable. When she has been symptom free for around a week and can sustain periods of moderate to serious exercise then attempt a return. After my most recent concussion I couldn't ride in cars for about three weeks because I could feel every little bump in the road jostling my brain and intensifying my headache.

That was my problem and since I work for an airline now, it made it impossible to work for six months.

[Scotty 8]

You should not be letting her play hockey until quite a while after ALL symptoms subside, then receive clearance. One trip and fall into the boards or an odd check while she's trying to "play at 65%" and her head could be messed up for life. When you're potentially messing with the chance of a second concussion and Post Concussion Syndrome, play it 100% safe. With something such as your head, you don't want to take chances. Or, if you choose otherwise, maybe ask a couple guys who can no longer get out of bed in the morning without feeling "off" all day for years upon years.

[TeamBlue96 3]

Apparently, I just re-aggrevated a concussion this past weekend. i got hit pretty hard a few months ago but never really thought anything of it (got up woozy and went to the bench). This past weekend, i got drilled from behind to the point where the guy was ejected with a 5min major and a game misconduct. 2 days pass and i finally decided toto go to the doctor because i haven't been 'feeling myself'. They brought up some points i wasn't aware of when you have a concussion. Aside from the headaches, dizziness, nausea...there are other symptoms such as being tired and irritable.

It all came together for me. i've been working out and playing a lot the past 2 months, but i still got tired out real easy. Also, getting in fights about the smallest things with my girlfriend seemed more prevalent. Concentration at work and simple decision making, memorization seemed to be difficult. it's like a constant feeling of uneasiness. The best person to tell you if you're better or not is yourself....it's really a judgement call that you have to make. is it worth coming back to soon, or is it better to wait an extra few days, weeks, months until all of the uneasy feelings subside...

unfortunately, i had poor judgement 2 months ago and now i'm feeling the effects.

[hockeymom 2]

We went to watch her team's game last night and she got headachey in the car. She's prone to carsickness and tried to pass it off as that, but I *suspect* it is related to this head injury. Especially when she couldn't get out of bed this morning. I've always let her judge her own body, but I don't think I can trust her judgment right now.

Thanks for the feedback... off to read the links provided.

[Chadd 916]

The best person to tell you if you're better or not is yourself....it's really a judgement call that you have to make.

Actually, it's very difficult to look at the recovery and tell if you are really 100% until well after you have fully recovered. There were a number of times I thought I was back to normal, only to look back a month or so after that and realize that I still wasn't there yet. Just because you feel better, doesn't mean you've recovered. "Better" is a relative term.

[TeamBlue96 3]

Actually, it's very difficult to look at the recovery and tell if you are really 100% until well after you have fully recovered. There were a number of times I thought I was back to normal, only to look back a month or so after that and realize that I still wasn't there yet. Just because you feel better, doesn't mean you've recovered. "Better" is a relative term.

oh, i agree. maybe if i worded it differently, i would've said that the best say is to not push the envelope on yourself. any inkling at all that you're not 100% should be enough of a sign.

[coryroth24 15]

Sit with your daughter and have her run through this test. Haven't done it myself yet though...

https://www.impacttestonline.com/goryebchildrenshospital/

[Hawkeye 0]

Sit with your daughter and have her run through this test. Haven't done it myself yet though...

https://www.impacttestonline.com/goryebchildrenshospital/

I took that test and it was hard.

Is it supposed to give you results?

[coryroth24 15]

I took that test and it was hard.

Is it supposed to give you results?

Haha! I just finished it too. Don't know what's up with the results though...

[simnorm 2]

Haha! I just finished it too. Don't know what's up with the results though...

I think that interpreting the results is not free. If you check the website you'll see that it's $750 for 25 baseline tests and 25 post injury tests.

I just finished taking it, the shape tests were really hard. You need someone with you to monitor how well you do.

[TeamBlue96 3]

cool, i just wasted 15-20 min at work thinking i would see results.

i don't think i passed.

[Hawkeye 0]

cool, i just wasted 15-20 min at work thinking i would see results.

i don't think i passed.

^ at least I'm not alone then.

The shapes part is way hard and then they throw it back at you at the very end. If I didn't have a concussion at the start I certainly had one at the end.

[biff44 0]

Most players do not get them at all. But I have seen some players who get them, sit out a while, and look fine...then get back into the game and get another concussion from a light hit. I think the brain, once concussed, is very vulnerable for more. If my kid got a real concussion, I would run (not walk) to use this computer test program, and let myself decide when his brain is really "healed":

http://henryfordhealth.org/body.cfm?id=46335&action=detail&ref=664

Not sure if it is the same one already discussed. Unfortunately, from what I hear, it requires a good baseline to compare against, so you will have to be conc.-free for a while to use it.

[gxc999 7]

Most players do not get them at all.  But I have seen some players who get them, sit out a while, and look fine...then get back into the game and get another concussion from a light hit.  I think the brain, once concussed, is very vulnerable for more.  If my kid got a real concussion, I would run (not walk) to use this computer test program, and let myself decide when his brain is really "healed":

http://henryfordheal...=detail&ref=664

Not sure if it is the same one already discussed.  Unfortunately, from what I hear, it requires a good baseline to compare against, so you will have to be conc.-free for a while to use it.

That's definitely true. I'd say a minimum of 3 to 4 weeks is reasonable for a mild, first instance. The longer you take to heal the first time, the less likely subsequent concussions are, so take it slowly.

[freekincage77 0]

We went to watch her team's game last night and she got headachey in the car. She's prone to carsickness and tried to pass it off as that, but I *suspect* it is related to this head injury. Especially when she couldn't get out of bed this morning. I've always let her judge her own body, but I don't think I can trust her judgment right now.

Thanks for the feedback... off to read the links provided.

Unfortunately i'm currently out with a concussion aswell. Sorry to hear about your daughter.

I think what your daughter experienced is a syptom of her concussion. While I went to watch my team play, I got a horrible headache and felt extremely sick. The best thing to do is to rest in the dark for a few days and allow thebrain to recover. I tried going back to work 3 weeks after obtaining mine and I feel like it set me back big time. Woke up the next day feeling horrible.

I'm sure it's hard as a parent to see your daughter missing school, try to be understanding as it seems like outside of the sporting world no one understands how serious these injuries are.

Good luck to you and your daughter.

James.

[mdamson 0]

So, sorry to hear about your daughter. My daughter just got her third mild concussion this year, and is not allowed to return to play for the season. She has been out since October. I think this is the new reality for collision sports such as hockey, and football and to a lesser extent contact sports such as soccer and basketball. I have learned a few things during all of the trips to the doctor and looking up information myself, that I will share. USA Hockey magazine had several articles this month on concussions that were excellent reads. They also listed concussions as the second most pressing issue for our sport, right behind exorbitant costs. They also mentioned that they are thinking of removing checking from the peewee game as well.

First of all we live in Washington state where we have the Lysted law. This law says that all coaches and parents must be educated about concussions, and that no athlete who has sustained a concussion will be allowed to return to play until they have been evaluated by a licensed health care provider trained in the evaluation and management of concussions and received written clearance to play. Since passage of this law 6 other states have adopted similar laws, and the federal government has been considering a nationwide law. I assume that we will soon see all 50 states with similar laws.

Second, concussions are like snowflakes. No two are exactly the same. This goes from individual to individual and from concussion to concussion. The first concussion my daughter sustained was a hit from behind that drove her chin into the dasher. She acted very odd and withdrawn for about 2 days afterward and had a headache for 3 days. The second concussion she sustained in boy's lacrosse, and in the car ride to the hospital her eyes kept rolling into her head, and she couldn't control it. This really freaked me out to say the least. Yet, at the hospital they weren't overly concerned with this symptom. She took a week to get back to her normal personality, and a full month and a half for the headaches to go away. In terms of recovery this was her worst one. She was sandwiched between two players at practice and her head bounced off the turf after the hit. The final concussion that set her out was a boarding incident that bounced her head off the glass. She plays in boys hockey, because that is the only thing available to us for competitive girls hockey in Seattle. I must also mention that she is very competitive and that she is one of the best players on her team and is one of the best skaters in our association at her age level. This last one seemed pretty mild and she was back to herself after an hour, and the headaches had passed after a day. This time we took her to Children's Concussion clinic for evaluation. They then sent her to a sport psychologist for a full battery of mental function tests. These tests took over 2 hours, and were the short version. The long version can take up to 8 hours. Everything went very well, and she showed nothing abnormal. We felt that she would be allowed to return to play based on the good outcome of the tests. She was not. They are only allowing her to practice with her team and not go to any games. I guess they knew going in that they were going to not allow her to return to play going in to the tests and that the tests were done to ensure that she did not sustain permanent damage. Now we have to wait and see for next year.

I also learned that non-check girl's hockey is the number 1 sport in the nation for concussions, ahead of boy's hockey and football. They are not sure if this is because girls are more susceptible to concussions; girls are smarter than boys in reporting concussions; or that girls don't know how to respond in situations where they are going to collide with another player or the boards. In addressing the latter issue, Kim over at Total Hockey has the following advice that may be good for boys as well: Concussion Reduction Workout

I also read a very sobering report on concussions in hockey: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101105153213.htm

Finally, here is the recommended return to play procedure from Children's

REST

Physical Activity: No sports, PE Class, Recess, Weight Lifting etc.

School: Inform Teachers and school nurse, may need reduced school or stay home, no video games, excessive computer use or text messaging (these activities all aggravate areas of the brain that are healing)

GETTING BACK TO SPORTS AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

You may only start these steps when your symptoms (headache, confusion, blurred vision or whatever for your case) when symptoms are gone for a full 24 hours

Only one step may be done per 24 hours

If symptoms return at any point you must stop all physical activity again and rest until you have no symptoms again for a full 24 hours then you may restart the last step completed without symptoms

Step#1: Light Aerobic Activity: Walking, Stationary Biking without resistance etc. NO RESISTANCE TRAINING

Step#2: Sport Specific Activity: Running/Jogging No Contact Activity

Step#3: Non-Contact Training Drills: Drills without possibility for contact, May BEGIN light resistance training

Step#4: Full Practice: Normal practice activity: NEED LETTER OF MEDICAL CLEARANCE

Step#5: Full Participation: Normal Game/Meet/Competition Activity

Good Luck to you and your daughter.