Concussion Recovery

We want to help your athlete recover from a concussion as quickly as possible, but it is most important that we do it safely.

There are protocols in place to handle this process, and our team with manage and monitor those protocols for you, ensuring you return to activities at the right time.

To enroll in one of our concussion recovery programs, contact a UM Urgent Care facility near you.

Return to Learn Program

Recovery from a concussion is a complex process that involves rest and accommodations to allow for the brain to heal. As a result, students will transition through a graduated Return to Learn protocol to ensure they participate in an appropriate amount of classroom and home-based learning while not interfering with the recovery process.

Below are the stages of the Return to Learn program.

1. Complete Physical and Cognitive Rest until Medical Clearance: No school attendance, strict limits on technology usage, get plenty of rest.
2. Return to School for Half-Day with Academic Accommodations: Continue limits on technology usage, no tests or homework, band or chorus, monitor symptoms. Classes should not exceed 30 minutes with a 15-minute rest period after each 30-minute block.
3. Continue Academic Accommodations: Attend school full-time increase workload gradually, homework should last no more than 60-90 minutes per day, monitor symptoms, incorporate light aerobic activity. Classes should not exceed 45 minutes with two 15-minute breaks per day.
4. Full Recovery to Academics: Attend school full-time, self-advocate at school (meet due dates, etc.), resume normal activities, resume sports following graduated return to play

Return to Play Program

Our team manages and monitors the Return to Play protocol for your athlete, ensuring a safe re-entry back into the sport.

As a patient is able to successfully participate in the activities listed in each step, without becoming symptomatic, they may transition to the next step on the following day. It is important to know that patients cannot be taking any pain medications when they are enrolled in the Return to Play program as it can mask symptoms from the concussion.

1. No Activity: Complete physical and cognitive rest until medical clearance.
2. Light Aerobic Exercise: Start waking, swimming, stationary cycling. Heart rate should be less than 70 percent your max. Exercise should last no more than 15 minutes.
3. Sport-Specific Exercise: Add movement to your activity, like running drills. There should be no head impact. Heart rate should be less than 80 percent your max. Exercise should last no more than 45 minutes.
4. Non-Contact Training Drills: Progress to complex training drills with more changes in direction. May start resistance training. Heart rate should be less than 90% your max. Exercise should last no more than 60 minutes.
5. Full-Contact Practice: If you're symptom free, you can return to normal training activities.

Important Follow-Up Tests

Concussed patient must return to the UM Urgent Care center 5-8 days after the original concussion diagnosis for a follow-up test. Athletes cannot return to play until a healthcare provider has signed off on the completion of the Return to Play steps that have been monitored by a parent, coach and/or trainer.