Head
Concussion care
Same-week concussion visits for athletes, students and adults. A step-by-step return to school, work and sport, with no rushing and no guesswork.
Return to sport, in six stages
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1 Daily activity
Daily activity
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2 Light aerobic
Light aerobic
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3 Sport drills
Sport drills
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4 Non-contact practice
Non-contact practice
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5 Full practice
Full practice
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6 Return to sport
Return to sport
A brain injury, handled carefully.
A concussion is a brain injury, even when the scan is normal and the person never blacked out. Headaches, fog, poor sleep and feeling off are common in the first days.
Most people feel better within weeks. The goal of care is to guide a safe return: light activity early, a gradual return to school or work, and a staged return to sport only after symptoms settle and a clinician clears it.
What we treat
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Sport-related concussion
Football, soccer, hockey, ski and board falls, and more.
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Falls and crashes
Concussions from bikes, cars and ladders.
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Lingering symptoms
Headaches, dizziness or fog that last past a few weeks.
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Baseline testing
Pre-season tests that give us a comparison later.
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Return to learn
School plans and notes for teachers.
What care looks like, and what it does not.
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What care looks like
- Symptom and balance exam Thinking, eye movement and balance checks.
- Light exercise early Guided light aerobic activity often helps recovery.
- School and work plans Written adjustments while symptoms settle.
- Vestibular and neck therapy For dizziness and neck-related headaches.
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What we do not do
- Imaging is not routine Most concussions do not need a CT or MRI. We order one when warning signs point to it.
- No same-day return to play Anyone with a suspected concussion sits out the rest of the game.
- No full dark-room rest Long strict rest is no longer advised. Short rest, then gentle activity.
- No clearance by text Return to contact sport is cleared in person, after the stages below.
Go to the ER now if
Go to the ER now for a headache that gets worse, repeated vomiting, a seizure, weakness or numbness, slurred speech, growing confusion, or if the person is hard to wake. Concussion care at our clinic is for people who are stable.
Recovery, in ranges.
These are typical ranges, not promises. We narrow yours at every visit as we see how you heal.
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Most adults, symptoms ease 1 to 2 weeks
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Most kids and teens, symptoms ease 1 to 4 weeks
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Staged return to sport, after symptoms clear About 1 to 2 weeks
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Lingering symptoms, with a guided plan 1 to 3 months or more
Each stage of the return to sport takes at least a day, and a stage is repeated if symptoms come back. General ranges from published guidance, shown on a stretched time scale. They are not a promise about your recovery.
The return to sport, one stage at a time.
Return to school or work comes first. The sport stages start once symptoms have settled, each takes at least a day, and contact only returns after an in-person clearance.
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1 Daily activity
Daily activity
Walking and daily tasks that do not make symptoms worse.
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2 Light aerobic
Light aerobic
Easy bike or walk. Heart rate up a little, nothing more.
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3 Sport drills
Sport drills
Running or skating drills. No head contact.
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4 Non-contact practice
Non-contact practice
Harder drills and passing. Strength work can return.
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5 Full practice
Full practice
Contact practice, only after in-person medical clearance.
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6 Return to sport
Return to sport
Back to games. Each stage takes at least a day.
Your first visit.
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01
A same-week visit, often within one or two days.
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02
Symptom, thinking, eye and balance checks.
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03
A written plan for school or work, and for light activity.
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04
A staged return-to-sport plan, cleared in person.
Questions.
Does my child need a CT scan?
Most concussions do not need one, and a normal scan does not rule out a concussion. Warning signs like worsening headache, repeated vomiting or confusion need the ER right away.
Should they rest in a dark room?
A day or two of relative rest is fine. After that, light activity that does not make symptoms much worse usually helps recovery.
Do you offer baseline testing for teams?
Yes. Our athletic trainer runs pre-season baseline testing for school and club teams at the Eagle clinic.
Other care
Book a concussion visit this week.
Most concussion visits are booked within one or two days. Worsening headache, repeated vomiting or confusion: go to the ER now.
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Booked visits
New injuries are usually seen within a few business days. Concussions within the week.
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Walk in
Boise Bench, 7 days. Meridian, Monday to Saturday. No appointment needed.
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Call
(208) 555-0163 weekdays from 7:30 a.m.