Brain injuries are arguably the most serious kind of injury a human being can suffer. Our brains do all of the heavy lifting, from the management of basic and essential bodily functions to the caretaking of our memories, abilities and even personalities. As such, a brain injury can throw an entire life into disarray. Recovery is always the aim for a brain injury sufferer, but does physical exercise and activity have a place in that process?

Anatomy of a TBI

Around 95% of brain injury claims in the UK are TBIs, with other forms of brain injury – hypoxic and acquired – being much less common. But what exactly is a TBI? A TBI occurs when the head or brain experiences physical trauma. This might be the result of a blow to the head, or a flying or falling object. It could be due to a fall or a car accident – the latter of which can cause brain injuries through the ‘whiplash’ of the head back and forth causing the brain to strike the inside of the skull.

TBIs are by their nature irregular injuries. The brain is an extremely complex organ, and minute differences in the specifics of a traumatic injury can have wildly differing impacts in terms of damage and symptoms. TBIs can cause all manner of side effects, from difficulty with motor control to memory issues, difficulty with language and speech and even complete behavioural change.

Exercise and Brain Injury – Is it Safe?

Given the complex nature of a TBI, and the fragile nature of the injured brain, it is only right to regard certain forms of potential recovery with concern. Any attempts to self-manage brain injury recovery are inherently unsafe for this reason, but exercise need not be dangerous for recovery.

The Benefits of Exercise in Recovery

Indeed, there are demonstrable benefits to incorporating a comprehensive exercise routine as part of brain injury recovery. Physiotherapy is an instrumental part of recovery, particularly where an injury has had a demonstrable impact on motor function. By performing simple exercises with affected limbs or body parts, crucial neuronal connections can be restored, and movement or control returned – albeit slowly.

Exercise also has wider and more general effects with regard to recovery. The body’s dopamine reward system is intrinsically linked to the burning of energy, and semi-regular exercise around appointments and dedicated recovery sessions can have profound results for general mood in recovery. Mood itself can have a surprising amount of influence over the rate or quality of recovery, where negative feelings and outlooks can stymie progress.

Measuring Progress

There is no simple way to measure progress in the aftermath of a TBI. This is because, as discussed earlier, brain injuries differ widely in type and impact. No two TBIs are the same, even if they occur in the same place. With this in mind, there is no objective timeline for recovery, and very little to effectively measure against.

But progress can be tracked on an individual basis, via key metrics such as neural activity and nerve response. Psychiatric examinations can evaluate recovery on a deeper emotional or behavioural level, too.

If you’re looking for aid to make a brain injury accident claim, get in touch with RU1NJURED today.