Services

Concussion Physical Therapy in Texas

Concussion physical therapy treats the neck pain, headaches, dizziness, balance trouble and exercise intolerance that can linger after a concussion.

It’s for people still struggling two weeks or more after a fall, sports hit or car crash — including post-concussion syndrome.

A licensed physical therapist screens for danger signs first, then builds a gradual, symptom-guided plan.

No referral needed to start. Most major insurance, PIP and attorney lien or LOP cases accepted at all eight Texas clinics.

It’s been three weeks since you hit your head. The ER said “mild concussion, rest up.” But the headaches still kick in by mid-afternoon, the grocery store makes you dizzy, and reading an email feels like work. You’ve taken it easy, and it hasn’t changed much. That’s common, and it usually means something specific still needs work.

That’s where concussion physical therapy comes in. At Advance Physical Therapy, our physical therapists pinpoint what’s still out of sync and retrain it step by step. It’s active concussion treatment, not more time in a dark room.

How Physical Therapy for Concussion Works

Physical therapy for concussion targets the specific systems that keep symptoms going: the neck, the balance and vision connection, and your tolerance for exercise. That focus matches the American Physical Therapy Association’s clinical practice guideline for concussion, published in 2020. Your plan depends on which of these your evaluation flags.

Neck pain and concussion headache treatment

A jolt hard enough to shake the brain often strains the neck too. Stiff joints and tight muscles there can drive headaches that feel like they come from inside your head. We use manual therapy and targeted exercise to calm the neck down, which often eases the headaches with it

Dizziness, balance and vision

Dizziness after a concussion often comes from the inner ear and eyes not coordinating the way they should. Gaze exercises, balance work and gradual exposure to busy places help retrain that link. If dizziness is the main problem, we fold in vestibular rehabilitation.

Exercise tolerance

Walking fast or climbing stairs can bring symptoms back. We find the level of activity your body handles without a flare, then raise it a little at a time.

Getting back to work, driving and sport

The last stage is the real world: lifting, turning your head quickly, a full workday, a return to training. Your therapist adds these back on purpose rather than all at once.

What Is Post-Concussion Syndrome?

Post-concussion syndrome is when concussion symptoms — headaches, dizziness, brain fog, poor sleep, irritability, sensitivity to light or noise — last well past the usual recovery window of a few weeks. Clinicians increasingly call it persistent post-concussion symptoms. Lingering symptoms usually point to one or more systems that still need direct work.

Post-concussion syndrome treatment

Post-concussion syndrome physical therapy isn’t a one-size routine. One patient needs neck work and a graded walking program; another needs vision and balance retraining first. If your symptoms point to something outside physical therapy, such as mood changes, sleep problems or memory issues, we’ll tell you and recommend you follow up with your doctor.

If two or more of these sound familiar, an evaluation is worth booking:

Headaches that build as the day goes on

Feeling off-balance in stores, crowds or traffic

Screens or reading wear you out quickly

Neck stiffness or pain since the injury

Exercise brings symptoms back

Trouble focusing at work or school

Concussion After a Car Accident

A concussion after a car accident can happen even if your head never touched anything — the sudden jolt of the crash alone can shake the brain. That’s why people are often surprised to learn they have one.

Concussion symptoms after a car accident don’t always show up right away. The CDC notes that symptoms can appear hours or days later, and in the rush of dealing with a wrecked car, they’re easy to miss. Delayed concussion symptoms often look like a headache that gets worse on day two, trouble sleeping, or feeling foggy at work. Neck pain from whiplash often shows up alongside a concussion from a car accident, which is one reason we always assess both.

If you were hurt in a crash, your concussion care can be part of your broader auto accident injury treatment.

Concussion Recovery: What the Weeks Usually Look Like

Most people recover from a concussion within a few weeks, but recovery tends to be slower for older adults, children and teens, and some people need active rehab to get there.

Timeframe	What's typical	What helps
First 1–3 days	Symptoms are at their worst	Take it easy; short break from work or school, usually no more than 2–3 days (CDC)
Days 3–14	Symptoms start easing	Gradually return to normal activity; if something doesn't worsen symptoms, it's generally OK
Beyond 2 weeks	Symptoms still hanging on	Concussion rehab with a physical therapist is a reasonable next step (APTA guideline)

Timeframe: First 1–3 days

What’s typical: Symptoms are at their worst

What helps: Take it easy; short break from work or school, usually no more than 2–3 days (CDC)

Timeframe: Days 3–14

What’s typical: Symptoms start easing

What helps: Take it easy; Gradually return to normal activity; if something doesn’t worsen symptoms, it’s generally OK

Timeframe: Beyond 2 weeks

What’s typical: Symptoms still hanging on

What helps: Take it easy; Concussion rehab with a physical therapist is a reasonable next step (APTA guideline)

Complete rest for weeks on end isn’t current advice. Gradual, symptom-guided activity is.

Your First Concussion Physical Therapy Visit

Your first visit is a full evaluation with a licensed physical therapist, built to find out which systems are driving your symptoms.

History and danger-sign screening

We go over how the injury happened, what’s changed since, any imaging or ER notes, and your medications. Anything that needs a doctor first gets flagged right away.

Testing

Expect checks of neck movement and strength, eye tracking, balance, and how your symptoms respond to light exertion. You’ll rate symptoms as we go, so nothing gets pushed past what you can handle.

Your plan and home program

You leave knowing what we found, what we’ll work on first, and a short home program you can actually do on a bad-headache day.

Still having symptoms weeks later? Request a free phone consultation with a therapist.

Insurance and Referrals for Concussion Car

You don’t need a doctor’s referral to start concussion physical therapy with us, and we accept most major insurance plans. We verify your benefits before your first visit.

After a crash, Personal Injury Protection (PIP) pays regardless of who caused it, and we also work with attorney lien and Letter of Protection (LOP) arrangements. We keep detailed records of your evaluation and progress, which your adjuster or attorney may ask for.

Why Patients Choose Advance Physical Therapy for Concussion Care

Patients choose us as their concussion clinic because a licensed physical therapist evaluates every case and stays with it through discharge.

A plan built for fewer visits Your plan covers only what your testing shows, with the aim of reaching your goals in fewer visits.

One therapist who knows your case The same therapist follows you from evaluation to discharge, so small changes in your symptoms don’t get missed.

26+ years in Texas We’ve served Texas communities since 1999 and treated 25,000+ patients.

Find Concussion Physical Therapy Near You

Every Advance Physical Therapy clinic in Texas provides concussion physical therapy. Choose the location that’s easiest to reach:

FAQs About Concussion Physical Therapy

How to treat a concussion in the first few days?

In the first few days keep a fixed bedtime and wake-up time, sleep in a dark room, and limit screens and loud music before bed. Short, easy walks are usually fine. Skip sports and other risky activities until a clinician clears you, and make sure a healthcare provider has checked you if no one has yet.

Do you work with my doctor?

Yes. With your permission, we can share your evaluation findings and progress notes with your doctor, so everyone treating you works from the same picture. Concussion care works best as a team effort, and we’ll recommend a physician visit if anything we find needs one.

Will exercise make my concussion symptoms worse?

Done carefully, it shouldn’t. We start below the level that brings on your symptoms and build up in small steps. If a session makes symptoms noticeably worse, or a flare lasts into the next day, we scale back the next one. That feedback is part of the plan, not a setback.

How long does concussion physical therapy take?

It depends on which systems are involved and how long you’ve had symptoms. Neck-related headaches can settle faster, while balance and exertion problems often take longer. Your therapist re-tests your progress regularly and adjusts the plan as your results improve.

Is it too late for physical therapy if my concussion was months ago?

No. People come in months after the injury, sometimes longer, and testing still shows which systems need work. Symptoms that have dragged on can take longer to settle, but a clear plan gives you something concrete to work on instead of waiting for them to fade.

Get Back to Clear-Headed Days

No referral is needed to start. Whether your concussion came from a crash, a fall or a hit in a game, we’ll show you what’s still holding you back — and if it was a car accident, we’ll handle the PIP paperwork.