March is Brain Injury Awareness Month, a time to highlight the importance of early evaluation and rehabilitation following head injuries. Brain injuries can happen in many ways, from falls and sports injuries to motor vehicle accidents or strokes, and they can affect how a person moves, speaks, thinks, and participates in everyday life.

At SVH, our multidisciplinary rehabilitation team works closely with individuals recovering from concussions, traumatic brain injuries (TBI), and other neurological events. Our goal is to support safe, personalized recovery and help patients return to the activities that matter most to them.

Understanding Brain Injuries

Brain injuries range in severity and are typically classified as mild (such as concussions), moderate, or severe. Even a mild concussion can cause symptoms that disrupt daily routines, including:

• Headaches

• Dizziness

• Memory difficulties

• Trouble concentrating

• Irritability

• Sensitivity to light or noise

Early assessment is critical. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that anyone who experiences a head injury followed by symptoms be evaluated by a healthcare provider. When symptoms persist beyond the expected healing window, rehabilitation services may be needed to support cognitive, physical, and emotional recovery.

The Role of Physical Therapy

Physical therapists play an essential role in addressing balance issues, dizziness, and movement challenges following a brain injury.

Vestibular rehabilitation may be used to treat:

• Vertigo

• Visual tracking difficulties

• Sensitivity to head movements

• Imbalance

Therapists also introduce strengthening and endurance exercises gradually to help patients return to activity safely without triggering symptom flare-ups.

For student-athletes, physical therapy is an important part of return-to-sport protocols. Therapists evaluate tolerance to exertion and guide a gradual, supervised return to physical activity in coordination with medical providers and coaches.

Occupational Therapy for Daily Independence

Occupational therapists (OTs) focus on helping patients regain independence in daily life. This may include support with:

• Attention and organization

• Visual scanning

• Task sequencing (such as cooking or managing finances)

• Fatigue management

• Returning to school or work

OTs also help patients adapt routines and environments to promote safety and long-term success.

Speech-Language Pathology and Cognitive Recovery

Speech-language pathologists assist individuals experiencing communication or cognitive-linguistic challenges after brain injury.

Therapy may include:

• Memory strategies

• Problem-solving exercises

• Word retrieval techniques

• Auditory comprehension training

Speech therapy is also critical for patients recovering from strokes that impact speech clarity, language production, or swallowing.

Rehabilitation Is Recovery

Brain injury recovery is often non-linear and unique to each individual. Our rehabilitation team provides personalized care tailored to each patient’s needs and goals, with a focus on safety, independence, and meaningful participation in life.

If you or a loved one is experiencing the effects of a recent or past brain injury, outpatient rehabilitation services may help. Learn more about rehabilitation services at SVH.