Concussion & Brain Injury Physiotherapy
Concussion Rehabilitation in Tauranga, Papamoa & Mount Maunganui
Have you had a concussion and are finding that you are not recovering as quickly as expected?
Perhaps you are still experiencing headaches, dizziness, fatigue, brain fog, visual symptoms or difficulty returning to exercise, work, school or sport.
The Rehab Team provides expereinced neurological and vestibular physiotherapy for concussion and mild traumatic brain injury, helping you understand what may be contributing to your symptoms and providing an individualised rehabilitation programme to help you return to the activities that matter to you.
Our Tauranga-based Neurological & Vestibular Physiotherapists have additional training and experience in neurological and vestibular rehabilitation, including concussion assessment and treatment.
We provide in-home physiotherapy throughout Tauranga, Papamoa and Mount Maunganui, allowing our assessments and rehabilitation to take place in the environments where you feel most comfortable.
How can I access The Rehab Team’s concussion service?
There are several ways you may be able to access The Rehab Team following a concussion:
ACC surcharge appointment – direct booking
Less than 12 months + accepted ACC claim
If your concussion injury occurred less than 12 months ago and you have an accepted ACC claim, The Rehab Team can complete your assessment and treatment under an ACC surcharge appointment.
ACC contributes towards the cost of treatment alongside a patient surcharge.
Arrange an appointment - Here.
ACC Concussion Service - via GP referral only
GP referral > Active+ > The Rehab Team
The Rehab Team provides fully funded concussion rehabilitation through the ACC Concussion Service, working in partnership with Active+.
Your GP needs to complete an assessment to ensure you meet the referral criteria. The Rehab Team provides the ACC Concussion Service through nationwide provider, Active+. Your GP can request the referral is sent directly to The Rehab Team via Active+.
Want your GP to refer you? Download our GP referral form below - Here.
Private funded concussion assessment
Injury over 12 months ago or no ACC claim
If your concussion occurred more than 12 months ago or you do not have ACC cover for your injury, your initial assessment will be completed under private-funded appointments.
ACC indicates that treatment for injuries over 12 months ago after require prior approval. During your initial appointment, The Rehab Team can determin can whether completing an ACC additional treatment request is appropriate.
What is a concussion?
A concussion is a form of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) caused by a force or movement that temporarily affects how the brain functions.
A concussion can happen following a blow to the head, a fall, a sports injury, a motor vehicle accident or any hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly.
You do not need to lose consciousness to have a concussion.
A concussion can occur even when a CT or MRI scan is normal. Conventional brain imaging does not usually show the functional changes associated with concussion. This is because concussion primarily affects how the brain is functioning rather than necessarily causing a structural abnormality that can be seen on conventional imaging. The symptoms of concussion can therefore be very real and sometimes quite significant, even when scans are normal.
What are the symptoms of concussion?
Everyone experiences concussion differently. Common concussion symptoms include:
Physical symptoms: headaches, dizziness, balance problems, nausea, neck pain, visual disturbances, sensitivity to light or noise and reduced exercise tolerance.
Thinking and concentration: brain fog or fatigue, difficulty concentrating, memory problems, slower thinking and difficulty multitasking.
Emotional symptoms: irritability, anxiety, change in mood, reduced tolerance to stress or feeling more emotional than usual.
Sleep: difficulty falling asleep, sleeping more than usual, difficulty staying asleep or feeling unrefreshed after sleep.
You do not need to experience all of these symptoms. Some people recover quickly, while others continue to experience symptoms for weeks or months.
What can I do when my concussion doesn’t resolve?
Most people recover well following a concussion. However, some people develop persisting concussion symptoms that continue for more than four weeks.
International consensus on concussion recommends a more detailed, multimodal assessment when symptoms persist. This is because ongoing symptoms may involve several different systems rather than one single problem.
At The Rehab Team, our clinicians complete a multimodal assessment of the common systems that can be impacted following a concussion. Our concussion rehabilitation focuses on identifying the specific problems that are affecting your recovery and focussing rehabilitation of these impairments.
At The Rehab Team, your clinician may assess:
Vestibular system: The vestibular system helps your brain understand movement and maintain balance. Following concussion, this system can contribute to dizziness and imbalance.
Eye movements and visual function: Your vision and vestibular system work closely together. Following concussion, some people experience blurred vision, difficulty focusing, eye strain or difficulty reading. Your clinician can screen these systems and identify whether further assessment or rehabilitation may be appropriate.
Neck function: The neck can contribute to headaches, dizziness and other symptoms following concussion, particularly when the injury also involved a whiplash-type mechanism. We may screen your neck movement, the relationship between neck movement and your symptoms and refer to on to a recommended MSK physiotherapist for hands-on treatment if needed.
Balance and movement: Concussion can affect balance and coordination. We can assess how your balance and how it changes when you move your head, walk or change direction.
Exercise tolerance: Some people notice that exercise causes headaches, dizziness, fatigue or other concussion symptoms.
Returning to everyday activities: Concussion recovery is about more than reducing symptoms. Our goal is to help you return to the activities that are important to you such as work, school, sports or driving.
What our clients say
“The Rehab Team helped me rehab my concussion over the course of 2-3 months. I went from not thinking I could do my sport anymore to being set on a clear path to returning to it. Affordable and absolutely fantastic, couldn't recommend more”
— Tom “Kaitlin is a highly talented physio whose expertise helped get me back to normal after a complicated head and neck injury… Once I transferred my concussion care to Kaitlin, everything started improving within days, not weeks or months. If you’re struggling with a head injury or concussion, I can’t recommend Kaitlin highly enough
— Jack"Kaitlin was so friendly and personable. She was very good at listening to me and understanding about my situation. She helped me feel heaps better in less than 2 months compared to another service provider used previously that took over a year. Kaitlin really nailed my symptoms/diagnosed and was able to provide support for my recovery in an easy and helpful way."
— Michelle