Your teammate was back in a week. You are still foggy. Different concussions need different plans — here is how we build yours.
Heads Up Concussion Care
Personalised concussion recovery is not a marketing phrase. It reflects biology. Two people can hit their heads in the same game and walk off looking equally dazed. One is back at desk work in ten days. The other has dizziness, sleep disruption, and concentration trouble for weeks. Same incident type. Different brains, histories, and symptom drivers.
A parent once brought in a teenager who “only” had headache after a netball knock. Assessment also found light sensitivity, balance issues on quick turns, and poor sleep. The family expected rest and Panadol. The plan needed vestibular work, load management for school, and a staged return to training. That is normal: concussion is not one presentation.
Why recovery timelines differ
Factors that change how fast you recover include:
- Number of prior concussions and how fully you recovered last time
- Whether the neck was involved (whiplash often rides along with head knocks)
- Migraine or headache disorder history
- Age (adolescents can take longer than adults in some cases)
- Sleep, stress, mood, and support at home or work
- How soon you accessed structured care after the injury
Comparing yourself to a teammate, colleague, or sibling is understandable. It is not clinically useful. Your plan should match your profile, not someone else’s calendar.
Early concussion assessment in the first week helps. For acute guidance, see what to expect in the first 48 hours. For why we avoid weeks of bed rest, see concussion rehab vs rest.
Different symptoms, different treatment paths
Concussion can show up as physical, cognitive, emotional, or sleep-related problems. Any one, or several at once. Common clusters we treat:
- Dizziness, balance issues, or visual motion sensitivity → vestibular rehabilitation
- Neck pain, headaches at the base of the skull, limited neck movement → cervical physiotherapy alongside brain recovery
- Brain fog, poor concentration, memory complaints → graded cognitive load and return-to-learn planning
- Fatigue and exercise intolerance → sub-symptom exertion testing and progression
- Irritability, anxiety, or low mood → coordinated care; we focus on physiotherapy drivers and refer when wider mental health support is needed
If care has been “brain rest only” and neck or balance symptoms were never addressed, recovery can stall. That is not because you are broken. It is because the plan did not match the problem.
What a personalised recovery plan looks like
At Heads Up in Subiaco, personalised means:
- Baseline symptom scores and clear goals (school, work, sport, daily life)
- Testing that matches your symptoms (not everyone needs every test on day one)
- Daily or weekly load adjustments based on how you respond
- Separate tracks for return to learn, return to work, and return to sport where relevant
- Telehealth follow-ups when travel or light sensitivity makes clinic visits hard
We use Complete Concussions protocols and align with community sport guidance from the Australian Institute of Sport. For general symptom information, Healthdirect is a useful Australian resource alongside professional care.
Symptom-free does not mean cleared
Feeling better on the couch is not the same as being ready for contact sport, a full school day, or a physically demanding job. Clearance is a process: graduated steps, criteria at each stage, and no return to contact sport until professionally guided.
Club and school athletes benefit from pre-season baseline testing where available ($79 individual baseline at our clinic; team days priced case by case). Baselines do not prevent concussion, but they improve return decisions when symptoms are subtle.
When symptoms last longer than expected
Most concussions improve within a few weeks. When symptoms persist and daily life suffers, that may be post-concussion syndrome (PCS). PCS is treatable with structured rehab targeting the drivers we find on assessment, not with more rest alone.
Our post-concussion syndrome rehabilitation coordinates exertion, vestibular, cervical, and return-to-life planning. Initial concussion appointments are $139; follow-ups $115 (see fees on service pages).
Learn more about the clinicians and credentials on our about page, or book an appointment when you want a plan built around you, not a generic handout.
Trusted resources (Australia)
Common questions
- Why does my recovery differ from a teammate's?
- Prior concussions, neck injury, migraine history, sleep, stress, and how soon you started guided care all change speed. Two people in the same match can need different timelines and different rehab emphasis.
- Can persistent concussion symptoms be treated?
- Yes. Many people with prolonged symptoms improve with targeted vestibular, cervical, exertion, and cognitive rehabilitation when care is coordinated. Post-concussion syndrome rehab addresses multiple drivers, not just rest.
- Why do I still feel dizzy if my headache is gone?
- Symptoms can resolve at different rates. Dizziness often links to vestibular or visual systems, and sometimes the neck. Headache improving does not mean vestibular recovery is complete.
- Does everyone need the same return-to-sport protocol?
- No. The stages are similar, but pacing, symptom triggers, and time at each stage vary. Contact sport return requires criteria-based clearance, not copying a teammate's calendar.
- When is concussion recovery considered prolonged?
- Definitions vary, but symptoms beyond the usual few weeks that affect school, work, or sport warrant PCS assessment. Earlier specialist input often shortens the stuck phase.
- Should I get baseline concussion testing?
- Baselines are valuable for athletes and anyone in contact sport. They help compare post-injury function to pre-injury levels. They do not replace clinical assessment after a head knock.