09/12/2025
Early vestibular rehab post-concussion: valuable emerging evidence
This systematic review (Babula et al., 2023) highlights the potential value of early vestibular rehab in post-concussion athletes, especially those presenting with vestibular, oculomotor or cervical symptoms.
Key takeaways:
– Multimodal approaches that include gaze stability, VOR, saccadic/pursuit exercises and cervical manual therapy may help reduce time to return-to-sport when introduced between 10–30 days post-injury.
– Relying on balance training alone is not well supported.
– “Early” needs to be guided by symptom severity, clinical stability, and patient readiness.
While the evidence is still evolving, it’s timely. Many vestibular clinicians already apply these principles. This review strengthens the rationale but reminds us to continue using individualised assessment and clinical judgement.
An encouraging read for clinicians supporting return-to-play decisions with evidence-informed care.
Ref: Babula G et al. (2023) Int J Sports Phys Ther, 18(3):577–586. doi: 10.26603/001c.75369
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37425112/