In our last blog post, we discussed that rest following concussion, while commonly prescribed, may not be the best approach for maximizing recovery. Many patients immediately following a concussion are instructed to rest, including minimizing their physical and cognitive activity, and interactions with other people. But what do we know about strict rest following concussion?

If a concussion is caused during a sporting event, immediate removal from the game is crucial. So in that sense, “rest” is important immediately following an injury. This is important for several reasons, mostly to decrease the risk of an additional impact which could be fatal. The question remains, how long after a concussion is sustained should a person rest, and how quickly should they get back to activity?