AMPT Concussion and Headache Clinic

Concussion has become a hot topic throughout every arena of healthcare: public awareness, legislation, research, clinical practice and management, and so many more. At the AMPT Concussion Clinic, we recognize that concussion is a complicated and complex injury that can result in a number of symptoms and functional limitations. It is our goal to closely manage and monitor your symptoms in close relation with you and your physicians, athletic trainer and coaches, employer, school district or university, and parents for minors.

The clinical definition of concussion continues to evolve as research and clinical practice reveals more and more about the functional impact this injury can have. It is not uncommon for people to experience a wide variety of symptoms post-concussion including cognitive, physical, emotional, and even psychological.

This leaves many patients post-concussion, wondering how they will be able to manage all of the symptoms and return to their schooling, their work, their sport, their hobbies, their life! Let us help you. Although AMPT offers Physical Therapy services, many of the cognitive, emotional, and even psychological symptoms associated with post-concussion disorder can be influenced by a guided and monitored return to activity and exercise.

Although many would have you believe there is one answer for post-concussion management for every patient, the truth is there is no one protocol that serves as a “How to” for return to function post-concussion. Appropriate management requires an individualized plan of care tailored specifically the symptoms each individual patient is experiencing.

Some symptoms commonly reported from people post-concussion include, but are not limited to1:

  • Headache
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Feeling slowed down
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea
  • Fatigue
  • Mentally “foggy”
  • Drowsiness
  • Sensitivity to light and/or noise
  • Balance problems
  • Anxiety/nervousness
  • Visual problems
  • Vomiting
  • Neck/Back pain

Many of these symptoms can be managed and treated with an individualized, yet carefully implemented physical therapy plan of care. We are the movement specialists, let us help you get back to moving.

It is our belief at AMPT, that the most integral and vital component to post-concussion management is a close interdisciplinary approach between the physician, clinicians, and most importantly you!

At AMPT we offer state of the art current technologies to assist us in the assessment and treatment of vestibular dysfunction post-concussion; such as the NeuroCom Balance Manager System: VSR Sport and Micromedical Technologies Real Eyes xDVR. Additionally, we have various balance and exercise equipment designed to improve patient’s functioning.

At AMPT, we don’t treat just your Neurologic symptoms or just your Orthopedic symptoms. With a variety of programs and services offered, we are equipped with the clinical expertise and experience to provide comprehensive post-concussion management. Whether you are an athlete or not, our mixed approach of will take into account all aspects of concussion recovery including:

  • Vestibular Rehabilitation
  • Sports and Orthopedic Rehabilitation
  • Neurologic Rehabilitation

AMPT is also involved in independent and collaborative research in the area of vestibular rehabilitation and concussion management. Contact us for more information about ongoing and current research that you could be involved in. We have presented our findings across the United States on our various studies. The following are titles of our posters and/or platforms presented.

Comparison of Pre-Season and Post Season Postural Control Performance in High School Student Athletes Who Report an In-Season Concussion or Concussion Symptoms. Furtado M, McGaugh J, Wild D, Bourgeois J, Scott T.

Comparison of Self-Reported Within Season Concussion versus Concussion Symptom History in High School Student Athletes. Furtado M, McGaugh J, Bourgeois J, Scott T.

A Comparison of the Effects of a Cognitive Task on Postural Control in Recreational and Collegiate Athletes. Bourgeois J, Furtado M, McGaugh J, Scott T, Galloway R.

Physical Performance of Single-Task and Dual-Task Postural Control Measures in Subjects With and Without History of Concussion. Furtado M, McGaugh J, Wild D, Bourgeois J, Scott T, Davenport C.

The Effects of Anaerobic Exercise on a Dual Task Paradigm. Scott T, Furtado M, McGaugh J, Bourgeois J.

Reference:

  1. Lovell MR, Iverson GL, Collins MW, et al. Measurement of symptoms following sports-related concussion: reliability and normative data for the post-concussion scale. Appl Neuropsychol. 2006;13(3):166-74.

For more information on Concussion and how Physical Therapy can help, please follow the following links provided by the American Physical Therapy Association:

For a summary of a recent study of how Physical Therapy can help following concussion, please follow the following link provided by PubMed:

  • Vestibular rehabilitation for dizziness and balance disorders after concussion.
    Alsalaheen BA1, Mucha A, Morris LO, Whitney SL, Furman JM, Camiolo-Reddy CE, Collins MW, Lovell MR, Sparto PJ.
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20588094
Hablamos Espanol