How can virtual physical therapy help with my concussion?

Athletes who play contact sports like football or rugby have a much higher chance of hitting their heads or having their heads violently whipped back and forth. As a result, such athletes have a greater risk of developing a concussion.

Medical studies underline this greater risk. One medical study found that 300,000 sport- and recreation-related concussions are diagnosed across the country each year. That may not seem high at first glance, but the study also warned that there was a possibility that seven times more were going undiagnosed.

Virtual physical therapy is here to help student-athletes, recreational athletes and professional athletes who develop concussions. This type of PT can help in several important ways.

3 ways virtual physical therapy can help athletes who have concussions

Virtual physical therapists have the same musculoskeletal training as physical therapists who meet with athletes in person. They also hold the same credentials. The difference is in how virtual physical therapists meet with patients. They do so via secure online video sessions, which can offer benefits that in-person sessions may not. However, this difference doesn’t prevent virtual physical therapy from helping concussion sufferers:

1. Improve their knowledge about concussions — “Knowledge is power” isn’t just a trite saying. It’s a reality when it comes to medical conditions, and virtual PT experts know it. They know that having even a basic level of knowledge about concussions opens several important doors for you. It helps give you the confidence to ask them questions about your condition. It also helps you take your place as an equal and invested partner in your recovery.

2. Increase their gaze stability — A common symptom of concussions is difficulty focusing your eyes. This symptom is often the result of the concussion affecting the vestibular or vision centers of the brain. Virtual physical therapists can help you address eye-focusing difficulties. They can do so thanks to a treatment technique called gaze stabilization. This technique typically involves your therapist showing you how to perform a specific series of movements. The initial movements are designed to move your head or body in ways that cause your eyes to lose focus. Then, the follow-up movements help you work on quickly stabilizing your gaze.

3. Boost their ability to balance — It can also be hard to get your balance back to normal after a concussion. Virtual PT clinicians can help you work toward this goal. They can create a program of customized balance exercises for you. Your physical therapist can even demonstrate the exercises for you. They’ll also check in on your progress. Additionally, they can help you find alternative options if certain exercises aren’t working for you or are too hard for you to do.

Find beneficial concussion physical therapy from our team at Agile Virtual PT

Anxious to find concussion physical therapy that benefits you? Our Agile Virtual PT team of more than 400+ licensed clinicians is eager to help address your concussion symptoms. We can start by doing a virtual free screening on you. This allows our clinicians to meet with you and learn about your concussion and the symptoms you’re experiencing. Then, they can build you a personalized virtual treatment plan designed to offer all the advantages listed above and more.

Contact our team today for more information about the virtual physical therapy we offer for concussions or to schedule an initial virtual appointment with us.