What to Expect During Physical Therapy for Concussions

If you’ve recently been diagnosed with a concussion, you’re not alone — and you’re definitely not imagining your symptoms. Concussions can cause a wide range of effects that impact everything from balance and vision to concentration and sleep. The good news? Physical therapy can play a key role in helping your brain and body recover.

7 PT Steps for Concussion Rehabilitation

At SparqPT, we specialize in concussion rehabilitation and vestibular therapy, helping people safely return to their daily lives, sports, and activities with confidence. Whether your concussion was caused by a fall, car accident, or sports injury, here’s what you can expect during physical therapy for concussion recovery.

1. Your Neuro Evaluation: Understanding the Full Picture

Your first appointment is all about listening and assessment. We start by learning about how your concussion happened, what symptoms you’re experiencing, and how those symptoms are affecting your life.

Common post-concussion symptoms include:

• Dizziness or vertigo

• Headaches or neck pain

• Blurred vision or sensitivity to light

• Trouble concentrating or reading

• Nausea or imbalance

• Fatigue or brain fog

Because concussions often affect multiple systems, your physical therapist will perform a comprehensive exam that may include vestibular, oculomotor, balance, and cervical spine assessments. This helps us identify which systems were affected and tailor your treatment plan specifically to your needs.

👉 Want to learn more about how dizziness relates to concussions? Check out our blog: 7 Signs Your Dizziness Isn’t “Just in Your Head”

2. Vestibular and Balance Therapy

Many people with concussions experience dizziness, unsteadiness, or a “floating” feeling — symptoms that point to the vestibular system, your brain’s internal GPS.

Vestibular therapy focuses on retraining the connection between your brain, eyes, and inner ear. This might include:

• Gaze stabilization exercises to reduce dizziness

• Balance training to rebuild stability

• Gradual motion desensitization to reduce symptom triggers

These exercises are gentle, personalized, and progressed at your pace. Our goal is to restore your ability to move confidently — without the fear of symptoms holding you back.

3. Vision and Oculomotor Exercises

Concussions often disrupt how your eyes work together. You might notice difficulty focusing, headaches after reading, or feeling “off” in busy environments.

Your therapist will assess eye tracking, focus, and visual coordination to identify specific problem areas. Then, we’ll guide you through targeted visual exercises that retrain these systems and reduce strain, improving your comfort and concentration.

4. Neck and Musculoskeletal Treatment

Concussions rarely happen in isolation — the neck often takes a hit, too. Whiplash-type forces can cause neck stiffness, headaches, or even dizziness that overlaps with concussion symptoms.

Addressing cervical spine mobility, posture, and muscle tension is an important part of recovery. Hands-on manual therapy, gentle stretching, and strengthening exercises help relieve pain and restore normal movement patterns so your body and brain can work together again.

5. Autonomic Nervous System Regulation

Concussions can also affect your autonomic nervous system (ANS) — the part of your body that controls automatic functions like heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing. When this system is out of balance, you might notice things like feeling lightheaded when you stand up, getting dizzy during mild exercise, or having a hard time managing fatigue or anxiety.

Physical therapy can help regulate these systems through graded cardiovascular retraining, breathing techniques, and progressive exercise programs designed to safely rebuild your body’s tolerance to activity. By gently reintroducing movement while monitoring symptoms, we help your nervous system “relearn” how to respond normally again — so your body feels steady, calm, and in sync.

6. Gradual Return to Activity

Once your symptoms start to improve, your therapist will help guide you through a safe and structured return-to-activity program. This might include light aerobic exercise, sport-specific drills, or graded exposure to screens and work tasks.

We’ll help you understand how to recognize your body’s signals and progress at a pace that supports healing — not setbacks. Whether your goal is returning to athletics, work, or simply feeling like yourself again, we’ll walk alongside you every step of the way.

7. Education and Self-Management

Education is a key part of concussion care. You’ll learn how to manage symptoms, track your progress, and support recovery outside of therapy sessions.

We’ll cover:

• Sleep and hydration tips

• How to pace activity without overdoing it

• Strategies for managing screen time and sensory overload

Our approach empowers you to take charge of your recovery and understand that improvement is absolutely possible with the right support.

Recovering From a Concussion Takes Teamwork

At SparqPT, our concussion and vestibular specialists are trained to identify the root causes of your symptoms and create a clear, personalized plan to help you feel steady, focused, and in control again.

If you’re still dealing with post-concussion dizziness, balance issues, or headaches, you don’t have to keep pushing through. Getting the right physical therapy for concussion recovery can make all the difference.

👉 Learn more about Vestibular Rehabilitation at SparqPT

👉 Or contact us today to schedule your concussion evaluation