Rest may not equal recovery for concussion sufferers

UBC student Jorden Sandover-Best worries about the the concussions he’s endured as a varsity and national rugby player.

“More research and information would be comforting,” he says.

Jorden’s wish for more knowledge about concussions has inspired him to participate in a clinical study being led by VCH Research Institute scientist Dr. Naznin Virji-Babul in collaboration with physicians and physical therapists at the Allan McGavin Sports Medicine Centre.

The study will investigate what happens to people with concussions as they start a very gradual exercise program. The research team will evaluate if the physical activity is detrimental or beneficial to the participant’s brain.

This is counter to how concussions are usually treated. Currently, patients are told to rest until they no longer have any symptoms. Only then are they allowed to gradually increase their activity level.

“The problem with that is that for every other condition that we can think of – for example, after cardiac or orthopaedic surgery, or even after a stroke – resting is the last thing we do,” Dr. Virji-Babul explains. “You get people up the next day after these types of surgeries because we know that in those conditions prolonged rest actually makes people worse and it makes recovery take longer. And yet for some reason, the mainstay of concussion and recovery is rest.”

Jorden is hoping that participating in this study will help us understand more about concussions. He’s anxious to return to the rugby field with his teammates.

Read more about this study here.