Role of Physical Therapy in Concussion Recovery, Part 2/2
Welcome to the 2nd part of our series on the benefits of physical therapy following a concussion. Our first post focused on how physical therapy can help improve pain and symptoms related to problems in the neck; this post will focus on the vestibulo-ocular system.
What is the vestibulo-ocular system?
As its name implies, there are two parts to the vestibulo-ocular system: the vestibular system and the ocular system. The ocular system refers to the information obtained through your vision (ocular means “of the eye”). However, this system is more complex than just the eye. When visual information hits the eye, that information is transferred to the back of the eye onto the retina, where it is then processed into a signal that can be transported by a nerve to the brain. This nerve leaves the retina and travels to the back of the brain to what is known as the occipital lobe. See the picture below for a visual representation of what this looks like (this picture is a little more complicated than how I just explained it, but the general concept is the same).
The vestibular system, on the other hand, is a little harder to explain. The function of the vestibular system is to supply your brain with information about head motion, which allows your brain to make determinations about spatial orientation and balance. If someone ever complains about dizziness or vertigo (the sensation that the world is spinning around them), it is usually indicative of a problem with the vestibular system. The main structures that sense this head motion are located in the inner ear, and similar to the eyes, they send their information via nerves into the brain. As you can see in the picture below, the vestibular system has a lot more connections involved in the process of sending the signal to the brain, making it more complicated than the visual system.
Now that we’ve defined each of these systems, we need to look at how they work together. Whenever you move your head, the vestibular structures in the inner ear send a signal to the brain to tell it what is happening, and this signal is then relayed to the eyes to tell them to move accordingly (see below for a visualization); if this system doesn’t work properly and you are trying to keep your eyes on an object in front of you, it will be very difficult to do so if you turn your head quickly away from the target. This process also works in reverse, so that whenever you move the eyes, this signal is relayed to the vestibular system so that movement can be coordinated.
Vestibulo-ocular Function and Concussions
When you experience a concussion, the relay of the signal from the vestibular system to the visual system can be disrupted. Often times, this will present with symptoms like dizziness, vertigo, impaired balance, blurred vision, and double vision. While many of these symptoms will improve as your brain is given time to heal and restore the relay between the two systems, sometimes that connection is not restored fully on its own.
This is where physical therapy can help. In addition to working on any dysfunction in the neck that is contributing to the symptoms mentioned above, there are several exercises we can have you do to help restore this relay and eliminate these problematic symptoms. These exercises are prescribed based on the movements that are found to be problematic and will be much more effective than using a DIY “shotgun” method to address any possible vestibulo-ocular dysfunction that may be present. If you would like to learn more about what these exercises look like, feel free to check out the following link, which is one of the best breakdowns you will find on the web.
Summary
The vestibulo-ocular system involves a complex network of structures that control the ability of your body to maintain balance and proper visual function. This system is often disrupted following a concussion, and while it often will repair itself completely on its own, this is not always the case. Physical therapy can be very effective for restoring this system to its prior function and return you to your daily life.
Western Slope Rehab and Performance is Here to Help
If you are struggling with injuries or have recently been in a motor vehicle accident, we can help. We are a physical therapy company that provides home-based orthopedic services in the Grand Junction, CO, area, as well as telehealth appointments throughout Colorado. If you would like to schedule a free consultation, you can call us as 970-462-9177, or fill out our contact form here.
If you found this post valuable, please like and share on our Facebook page, which is updated regularly with new content.