Do you jump/run/brisk walk or ride a bike ? If yes how long after the injury did you feel comfortable doing them ? I have some sensitivity to head bumps and jolts and haven't run or rode my bike since 5 months. I wonder if it will pass away and I will ever be able to run and ride my bike as I have a great passion for bikes and cars. I have slowed down a lot and apparently working at 10 percent of my capacity. Any hope out there? Believe me, I will be very happy if any of you said you are able to run or drive.

I can run but I have a very smooth gait. No pounding with my foot plants. Bikes are OK too. I don't think comparing to others is valid. How your brain and body responds is unique to you. The hope that you can return to activity because others have is OK but expecting a similar time line is questionable.

I am 7 months in and can ride a stationary bike for 10 minutes and only walk for 5...

Hi Galaxy1012,

I tried riding a bike 2.5 weeks ago (3 weeks after my concussion--I had a metal plank from collapsing scaffolding strike me in between the eyes). I wasn't still feeling very good but I read somewhere that light aerobic activity should be beneficial to healing a concussion (it should encourage neurogenesis) so I did my usual 25km roundtrip to the neighboring town and back. It kind of exacerbated my headache (gave me back a strong tension and throbbing feeling, which I used to have at rest, but which vanished (when at rest) in my third week). Tried another shorter trip shortly thereafter (12km total), but my head felt worse afterward still, so I've been resting since (barring a couple of short walks and short bike rides to the drug store (approx. a total of 3km for both there and back). Bumpy roads were absolutely no good--either in a car or on the bus.

I wanted to go take another bike trip today, but it's been raining. Hopefully tomorrow. Today, I tried taking a cold shower at least (I had been taking those prior to my accident) and I was a little worried about what the increased heart rate would do, but it felt pretty good. No return of high pressure/throbbing type of headache I've been getting after trying to do high-intensity activities so I think that might be a good sign. (On the downside, I still have a very real cutting/tingling feeling at the front and back of my head.)

My neurologist recommends that I take thinks slow and increase intensity gradually. That sounds like reasonable advice to me--try a bit of each and see how your body responds.

Best of luck,
Petr

I can't walk 100 yards without huffing and puffing and seeing stars, but i couldn't do that before that head injury

i think the fact that you guys are trying while weaker people would sit back and give up is great!!

Before my injury I was exceedingly active, running 60-100 miles per week (although that was cut short about a year ago because of a hamstring injury, but I became active in other ways). I've been sensitive to bumps/jolts too, but I started biking outside about 4 months after my injury for 30 minutes (after biking indoors for a while) and it seemed to be fine.

Then I hit my head again and backed off physical activity, starting back at 15 minute walks. I've been a lot slower in revving up excercise, although I stationary biked at 60% of my max heart rate yesterday for 15 minutes, which felt great! My hamstring will keep me from running for a while I fear, but my PT has got me doing these sort of half jumps where you squat and then move up onto your toes almost like you're going to jump to get me ready for it.

Based on what I've seen from other posters, it seems like this extra sensitivity wears off eventually for many, so I think at some point we'll be able to resume our once active lifestyles!

At 16 months, I was advised to use a heart-rate monitor to help build my tolerance to exercise. Up until that point, I had been doing a lot of walking, but seemed to have symptoms come on randomly, or strike later.

I found a walking speed and heart rate that I could tolerate for 45 minutes, without pcs symptoms. I stayed at that pace for three weeks, and then increased the heart rate a little bit. I kept gently increasing the heart rate about 5 bpm, every three weeks; always staying below the symptom threshold. I have found it has been quite successful, and it has been a huge joy to see progress.

At 19 months, I am getting back into the swimming pool for a reasonably vigorous swim of 20 minutes. This was unimaginable a year ago. That said, I continue to struggle with other symptoms. I should add that I have had physiotherapy on my neck from 16 months onward.

Was a mountain climber/hiker, sometimes runner before the accident, couldn't go for a walk for a long time afterwards and still not doing a lot....especially since just broke my ankle during a dizzy spell so watch out everyone!!...

17 months later though was still not back to normal, I get migraines and weird spells so go as I go and hope to get a lot better as time goes by.

well, today it took me about 30 minutes to climb about 150 ft path from a lake back to my car...whoops, crap, lord please spare me a setback, please!

my resting heart rate is ridiculous 80-95 for someone that up until the accident in april was very active. i'm hoping that tapering off the amatryptaline will make my heart rate go back down and the pounding in my head (reason why i don't bolt up, or at least walk at a reasonable pace up the stairs) recede. if not, i'm at a loss for wtf is wrong with me.

that said, 6 weeks ago i could barely drive 10 minutes, needed to rest 20, and could then walk for about 10 min. now i walk/stationary bike about 1-2hrs/day, just at an ultra slow pace. gotta remember the progress and not despair about the present.

PS. my stationary bike has been one of my greatest sources of sanity, when i'm so bored i could cry, and can't handle any audio/visual stimulation i just sit on it and peddle really frickin' slowly. and of course, less danger of falling off it than a moving bike.