Understanding Concussion: A Practical Guide for Parents, Schools and Sporting Clubs

What Is a Concussion?

A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury that occurs most commonly after a whiplash mechanism or through an impact to the head, neck or body.

A common misunderstanding is that concussion does not always involve a direct blow to the head. A force elsewhere on the body can also cause the brain to move rapidly within the skull (e.g whiplash as above).

A person does not need to lose consciousness to have a concussion. In many cases, they remain awake and may initially appear relatively well.

Possible symptoms include:

• Headache or pressure in the head
• Dizziness or balance difficulties
• Nausea
• Neck pain
• Blurred or uncomfortable vision
• Sensitivity to light or noise
  
• Difficulty concentrating or remembering
  
• Feeling mentally foggy or slowed down
  
• Unusual tiredness
  
• Changes in mood or behaviour

Symptoms may appear immediately or become more noticeable in the hours following the injury. This is one reason a person should not return to sport on the same day as a suspected concussion.

What Should Happen After a Head Impact?

Parents, teachers and coaches are not expected to diagnose concussion. Their role is to recognise when a concussion may have occurred and take appropriate action.

A useful approach is:

1. Stop the activity

Remove the person from sport, physical education, playground activity or any other situation where another impact could occur.

They should not return to sport or training that day.

2. Observe the person

Monitor for changes in symptoms, behaviour, alertness, balance and communication.

Ask simple questions and listen carefully to how the person describes what they are feeling. Do not rely only on whether they lost consciousness.

3. Check for signs requiring urgent care

Urgent medical assessment may be required following a high-speed or high-impact injury, increasing confusion, seizure activity, vomiting, double vision, weakness, tingling, loss of consciousness or a clear deterioration in the person’s condition.

When there is uncertainty about the seriousness of an injury, seek urgent medical advice.

4. Arrange a concussion assessment

A person with a suspected concussion should be assessed by an appropriately trained healthcare professional.

Complete Concussions provides specific professional education in concussion assessment, physical rehabilitation, cognitive rehabilitation, medical management and sideline care. The sideline course is also designed to improve the ability of coaches, trainers and parents to assess, triage and manage head impacts at the field of play.

Why Concussion-Specific Training Matters

Concussion can affect several areas of a person’s function.

Some people mainly experience neck pain or headaches. Others have dizziness, poor balance, visual discomfort, difficulty concentrating or mental fatigue. Exercise may also bring on symptoms that are not obvious when the person is resting.

Complete Concussions’ physical rehabilitation education covers cervical, vestibular and oculomotor dysfunction following concussion.

In plain language:

• Cervical refers to the neck
• Vestibular refers to balance and the body’s response to movement. Impairments can result in dizziness, disequilibrium, imbalance, etc
• Oculomotor refers to the control and coordination of eye movements. Impairments can result in visual disturbances/sensitivity, dizziness, etc.  

A trained concussion physiotherapist can assess these areas rather than relying on a symptom checklist alone.

Flexout Health’s Complete Concussion Management accredited physiotherapists are Susan Stokes, Rebecca Piazza, Ryan Sewell, Joel Carusi, Nicholas Allen and Jacinta Hayward.

This team provides concussion-informed physiotherapy for people across our local communities. Their accreditation supports a consistent and structured approach to physical assessment, rehabilitation and return-to-activity planning.

What Can Parents Do at Home?

Following an assessment, parents can help by providing calm support and monitoring how their child manages everyday activity.

It is useful to observe whether symptoms increase during:

• Reading or homework
• Screen use
• Walking or light exercise
• Travelling in a car
• Busy or noisy environments
• Conversations requiring concentration
• Normal household routines

Keep a simple record of symptoms and activities that appear difficult. This information can assist the treating clinician and school when planning appropriate adjustments.

Children and teenagers may find it difficult to explain symptoms such as brain fog, visual strain or cognitive fatigue. Changes in irritability, confidence, sleep, concentration or willingness to participate may also be important.

The aim is not to remove every activity indefinitely. It is to understand what the young person can currently manage and support a gradual return without repeatedly overwhelming them.

How Can Schools Support a Student?

A student may look physically well while still finding classroom demands difficult.

Concentration, reading, screen use, noise and busy environments can place significant demands on a student recovering from concussion. Mental fatigue may also build throughout the day.

Temporary school adjustments may include:

• Shorter periods of classroom attendance
• Rest breaks during the day
• Reduced screen use
• Extra time for classwork
• Fewer tasks completed at once
• Reduced homework
• Temporary changes to tests or assessments
• Access to a quieter learning area
• Avoidance of physical education and contact activities

Complete Concussions’ cognitive rehabilitation education includes targeted approaches for concerns such as brain fog, memory difficulties and cognitive fatigue, with an emphasis on safe return-to-activity protocols.

Communication is essential. Parents, school staff and healthcare providers should share relevant information so that expectations can be adjusted as the student improves.

How Can Sporting Clubs Respond?

Every sporting club should have a clear concussion process that is understood by coaches, trainers, volunteers, athletes and parents.

This process should include:

• Immediate removal from play after a suspected concussion
• No same-day return to sport
• A clear emergency response plan
• Documentation of the incident
• Communication with the athlete and their family
• Referral for an appropriate assessment
• A structured return-to-training process
• Medical clearance where required by the sport

Coaches should create an environment where athletes feel safe reporting symptoms. Players may hide symptoms because they do not want to disappoint teammates or miss a match.

A club culture that values honest reporting helps protect athletes and supports better decision-making.

Complete Concussions recognises that coaches, trainers and parents play an important role at the time of injury. Its sideline education focuses on the practical skills needed to assess, triage and manage head impacts until further clinical care can be arranged.

What Does Concussion Physiotherapy Involve?

At Flexout Health, concussion management may involve more than monitoring whether symptoms have disappeared.

Depending on the person’s presentation, a Complete Concussion Management accredited physiotherapist may assess/treat:

• Neck movement and function
• Balance and coordination
• Eye movements and visual tracking
• Response to physical activity
• Headache and dizziness patterns
• Cognitive and physical symptom behaviour
• Readiness to return to school, work or sport

The Complete Concussions physical rehabilitation pathway is designed to provide clinicians with evidence-based approaches to cervical, vestibular and oculomotor problems. Its broader professional education also recognises the importance of cognitive rehabilitation and coordinated medical management when required.

Not every person will need the same rehabilitation. The assessment helps determine which areas are affected and which activities should be introduced or progressed.

Building Better Concussion Knowledge

Good concussion management begins before an injury occurs.

Parents can learn the common signs. Schools can establish clear learning adjustments. Sporting clubs can train staff, develop an incident process and encourage athletes to report symptoms honestly.

Access to Complete Concussion Management accredited physiotherapists at Flexout Health also gives people across Albury, Wodonga, Thurgoona, Myrtleford and Wangaratta a local point of contact for structured assessment and rehabilitation.

The key community message is straightforward: recognise a possible concussion, remove the person from activity, seek appropriate assessment and support a gradual return.

For assessment and guidance following a suspected concussion, book a Concussion Physiotherapy appointment with Flexout Health.

About the Author, Ryan Sewell

Ryan Sewell is an APA Titled Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist, Complete Concussion Management accredited physiotherapist and Director at Flexout Health, supporting clients across Albury, Wodonga, Thurgoona, Myrtleford and Wangaratta. He specialises in concussion management, spinal rehabilitation and sporting injuries, helping clients and community organisations understand concussion and support a safe return to learning, work and sport.

Date published: 29th July, 2026