Concussion & Head Injury Rehabilitation

If you or your child has had a concussion, you have probably been told to rest until the symptoms go away. That was the standard advice for decades. The evidence now says otherwise — prolonged rest actually delays recovery. Early, controlled activity under the guidance of a trained clinician leads to faster and more complete resolution of symptoms.

A concussion is a functional brain injury. The brain does not show structural damage on CT or MRI, but it is not working the way it should. Symptoms can include headache, dizziness, difficulty concentrating, visual disturbance, fatigue, irritability, and sensitivity to light or noise. These symptoms reflect disruptions in how the brain processes information, maintains balance, and coordinates eye movement — all of which can be tested and treated in physical therapy.

Why Active Rehabilitation Works Better Than Rest

The old model — sit in a dark room until you feel better — made intuitive sense. But research over the past decade has made it clear that prolonged cognitive and physical rest leads to deconditioning, mood disruption, and sensitization of the nervous system. The brain recovers better with graded exposure to the demands it needs to handle.

Active rehabilitation means carefully reintroducing physical activity, cognitive tasks, and sensory challenges at a level your brain can tolerate — then progressively increasing the load as symptoms allow. This is not “pushing through.” It is structured, measured exposure that promotes recovery.

What We Evaluate

Concussion is not a single problem. It is a collection of impairments, and the specific combination varies from person to person. Our evaluation identifies which systems are affected so we can target treatment precisely:

• Vestibular function — The inner ear and its connections to the brain control balance and spatial orientation. Concussion commonly disrupts this system, causing dizziness, unsteadiness, and motion sensitivity. We test canal function, gaze stability, and positional tolerance.
• Ocular-motor function — Smooth eye tracking, rapid eye movements (saccades), and the ability to focus at different distances are frequently impaired after concussion. These deficits cause headaches with reading, difficulty in busy visual environments, and trouble following a ball or lecture.
• Cervical spine — The same mechanism that causes a concussion (rapid acceleration/deceleration) also injures the neck. Cervical dysfunction produces headache, dizziness, and visual symptoms that overlap with concussion — and must be treated directly.
• Exertion tolerance — We use graded aerobic testing (the Buffalo Concussion Treadmill Test or bike protocol) to find your symptom threshold — the heart rate at which symptoms increase. This becomes the starting point for your exercise prescription.
• Balance and proprioception — Standardized balance testing (BESS, modified CTSIB) identifies deficits that may not be obvious in everyday activities but increase fall risk and limit sport or work performance.
• Cognitive screening — Reaction time, processing speed, and working memory screening help us understand the cognitive component and coordinate with neuropsychology if needed.

How We Treat It

Treatment is based on your specific impairment profile. Not every concussion patient needs the same program. Common components include:

• Vestibular rehabilitation — Gaze stabilization exercises, habituation drills, and balance retraining for patients with dizziness, motion sensitivity, or unsteadiness.
• Ocular-motor training — Targeted eye movement exercises to restore smooth pursuit, saccade accuracy, and convergence. Particularly important for students and anyone whose work involves screens or reading.
• Cervical spine treatment — Manual therapy, dry needling, and targeted strengthening for the neck. Cervicogenic headache is one of the most treatable — and most commonly missed — contributors to persistent post-concussion symptoms.
• Sub-symptom threshold aerobic exercise — Prescribed at or below your symptom threshold, then progressively increased. This is the single most evidence-supported intervention for concussion recovery.
• Return-to-sport and return-to-learn protocols — Structured, stepwise progression from light activity to full sport or full academic load, with objective criteria at each stage. We coordinate with athletic trainers, coaches, and school personnel.

Persistent Post-Concussion Symptoms

About 30 percent of concussion patients experience symptoms beyond the typical recovery window. If your headaches, dizziness, or cognitive symptoms have persisted for weeks or months, it does not mean your brain is permanently damaged. It means the underlying impairments — vestibular, ocular-motor, cervical, autonomic — have not been identified and treated.

We see patients months and even years after their initial injury. The evaluation is the same: find out which systems are still impaired, treat them specifically, and rebuild tolerance to normal demands.

Youth and Adolescent Concussion

Young athletes and students have unique needs after concussion. Their brains are still developing, academic demands are constant, and the social pressure to return to sport is significant. We follow the most current consensus guidelines (Berlin 2023) for pediatric concussion management and work closely with parents, schools, and athletic programs to ensure a safe return to both learning and sport.

Edgerton and Fitchburg

We treat concussion and head injury at both our Edgerton and Fitchburg locations. Evaluation and treatment are provided by Doctors of Physical Therapy trained in vestibular, ocular-motor, and cervical assessment. You will see the same clinician at every visit.

No Referral Needed

Wisconsin’s direct access law means you can see a physical therapist without a physician referral. Call us today and be seen within 24-48 hours.

We are in-network with Anthem BlueCross BlueShield, Medicare, Humana, The Alliance, UMR, Cigna, and all Workers’ Compensation carriers. HSA/FSA accepted. Competitive self-pay rates available. We verify your benefits before your first visit.

Two Locations

Fitchburg — 6250 Nesbitt Rd, Suite 500, Fitchburg, WI 53719
Edgerton — 102 W Fulton St, Edgerton, WI 53534
Phone: (608) 561-7733

Serving Fitchburg, Madison, Verona, Oregon, Middleton, Edgerton, Milton, Janesville, Stoughton, and surrounding communities.