What is the recommended progression for return-to-play after a concussion?

• A. Asymptomatic at rest, then light aerobic activity, then sport-specific activities, non-contact drills, and finally full contact with medical clearance.
• B. Immediate full contact practice to test tolerance.
• C. Return to play only after 3 days regardless of symptoms.
• D. Only rest for 2 weeks with no activity.

Answer: (A)

A staged, symptom-guided return-to-play progression is used after a concussion. The idea is to reintroduce activity gradually and only advance to the next step if no symptoms reappear. Start with resting symptom-free, then begin light aerobic activity, then sport-specific activities, followed by non-contact drills, and finally full-contact practice with medical clearance. If any step triggers symptoms, you pause and return to the previous, symptom-free level until recovery resumes. This approach reduces the risk of another injury by ensuring the brain has regained tolerance to exertion before advancing.

The other options aren’t appropriate because they ignore the symptom-driven, graded nature of recovery. Jumping straight into full-contact practice can risk re-injury; returning after a fixed time (like a set number of days) regardless of symptoms ignores individual recovery pace; and resting with no activity for an extended period misses the benefits of controlled, progressive loading that supports healing.