You may feel better while resting after a concussion but notice symptoms return when you start walking, exercising, or becoming more active. Headache, dizziness, fatigue, or brain fog may become more noticeable as physical demand increases.
This can happen because exercise asks more from your brain and body than rest. During concussion recovery, your tolerance for activity may temporarily be lower than usual.
Why Do Symptoms Increase With Exercise?
Exercise increases your heart rate, breathing, movement, balance, and visual demands. After a concussion, your body may have more difficulty handling those demands at first. That is why you may feel comfortable sitting but notice symptoms once you start moving more. The intensity and duration of the activity can also affect how you feel.
What Is Exercise Intolerance After a Concussion?
Exercise intolerance after concussion means symptoms appear or increase before you reach your normal activity level. For example, you may feel fine during a short walk but develop headache or dizziness when you walk longer or faster.
Symptoms may include:
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Brain fog
- Difficulty concentrating
When symptoms begin can help show your current activity tolerance.
How Do You Know When Activity May Be Too Much?
A small and temporary increase in symptoms can be different from a stronger or longer-lasting flare. If symptoms increase significantly, continue getting worse, or remain elevated, the activity may have exceeded your current tolerance.
This does not mean you should push through symptoms. It also does not mean you need to avoid every activity that causes a small change. The goal is to pay attention to how your body responds.
Why Is Gradual Progression Important?
Returning immediately to your normal exercise level may be too much during concussion recovery.
Activity can often be increased gradually based on your response. That may involve changing:
- Duration
- Intensity
- Heart rate demand
- Balance demands
- Movement complexity
As recovery progresses, activities that once caused symptoms may become easier to tolerate.
How Can Physical Therapy Help?
Physical therapy assesses symptom changes with activity and provides an individualized recovery plan. A therapist evaluates movement, balance, coordination, activity tolerance, and symptom response at different exertion levels, including neck, vestibular, and vision factors, to identify hidden triggers and limitations.
Based on these findings, a physical therapist can guide a gradual, safe return to activity tailored to the individual. This may include controlled aerobic exercise, balance training, and strategies to improve tolerance to physical and cognitive demands over time.
How Davis PTSR Helps With Exercise After a Concussion
At Davis Physical Therapy & Sports Rehab, personalized concussion rehab can help address activity tolerance, movement, balance, and other challenges that may affect recovery. Our approach to physical therapy considers how symptoms respond as physical demands gradually increase.
Treatment is personalized around the individual rather than using the same progression for everyone. When appropriate, advanced technology may also provide additional information that helps guide rehabilitation and track progress.
Rebuild Your Tolerance for Exercise and Movement
Recovering after a concussion is about more than waiting for symptoms to disappear. It is also about gradually rebuilding your ability to tolerate movement and physical activity safely.
Davis PTSR provides individualized concussion rehabilitation to help guide that progression. Request an evaluation today and take the next step toward returning to the activities that matter to you.
