Return-to-activity: Work Considerations

Most people can return to work within days or weeks after the injury. When planning your return to regular activities you need to think about both cognitive and physical activity because both can make your concussion symptoms worse.

In the early days after your injury, try to avoid hard or heavy physical activities. Also try to avoid activities that have a high cognitive load. This would be activities that require a lot of attention, concentration, and problem solving, such as:

Reading or doing tasks that need you to focus or problem-solve

Using a computer or cell phone, watching TV, playing video games

Being in social situations with too many people, too much noise, or too many things happening at once

How can I manage my symptoms at work?

Returning to work is an important part of your recovery process and is recommended if it does not pose the risk of re-injury. Your return to work should be gradual and reflect your symptoms and your recovery process. It is important that you do not to do too much too soon. Taking on too many tasks can cause your symptoms to get worse and can delay or prevent your recovery. It is important that your employer helps to modify your work environment and expectations of you, based on your work restrictions, any work accomodations, and symptom triggers.

Examples of work restrictions:

Your primary care provider will help you identify any restrictions that will impact your work. For example, if you have poor balance, a reasonable medical restriction would be “no working at heights”. If you have poor concentration or visual problems, a reasonable medical restriction would be “do not use heavy equipment”.

Examples of work accommodations:

• Flexible work hours (such as starting later or ending earlier)
• Gradual work re-entry (such as starting at 2 half-days per week and increasing hours gradually)
• Allowing more time to finish tasks
• A quiet space available for breaks throughout the day
• Temporary change of job
• Environmental modifications such as a quieter work space, more supervision, working from home or only working during hours that match your most alert times of the day
• Equipment to help you do your job (e.g. if you have difficulty with screens, you may need to use a blue light screen protector)