Concussion: what to do in the first 48 hours
Reviewed November 2026 by Online Concussion Clinic, a Perth-based telehealth concussion physiotherapy service. How this site is run
After a suspected concussion, the first two days are about staying safe, resting relatively (not completely), and getting checked. Most people recover well, and nearly all symptoms settle within about four weeks.
Call 000 or go to the nearest emergency department if there is:
- Loss of consciousness, or getting drowsier or harder to wake
- A seizure or convulsion
- Severe or worsening headache
- Repeated vomiting
- Neck pain or tenderness
- Double vision or loss of vision
- Weakness, tingling or burning in the arms or legs
- Increasing confusion, agitation, restlessness or unusual behaviour
- A visible deformity of the skull
For children, the emergency department at Perth Children's Hospital (Nedlands) is open 24 hours. If you're unsure, call healthdirect on 1800 022 222 (24 hours) for nurse advice.
Straight away
- Stop and don't go back on. Anyone with a suspected concussion should be removed from the game or training and not return that day, even if they feel fine. In Australia: if in doubt, sit them out.
- Don't be left alone for at least the first 1–2 hours, and don't go home alone — go with a responsible adult.
- No driving until a health professional says it's safe.
- No alcohol or recreational drugs. Check with a doctor or pharmacist before taking any medication.
- Get checked as soon as you can by a health professional with recognised concussion training, such as a GP or physiotherapist, or at an emergency department if any warning signs appear.
Day 1–2: relative rest, not strict rest
Current evidence no longer supports lying in a dark room until symptoms disappear — that can slow recovery. For the first 24–48 hours:
- Take it easy, but keep doing light everyday things like getting up, moving around the house, short gentle walks and easy conversation.
- Cut back on screens (phones, gaming, computers, TV). Limiting screen time in the first 48 hours is linked with a faster recovery.
- Sleep is fine. You don't need to keep someone awake, but if they become hard to wake, call 000.
- Use symptoms as your guide. Activity that makes symptoms a little worse is OK. Stop and rest if symptoms rise by more than 2 points out of 10, or don't settle within an hour.
After 48 hours: gradually do more
- Light exercise helps. After the first day or two, walking or an exercise bike at an easy pace (where you can still talk comfortably) is recommended, as long as symptoms only rise mildly.
- School and work come first. Return to learning and work gradually — shorter days, breaks and less screen time if needed — before returning to sport. Many people need only a few days away.
- Plan a review around day 3–4, as recommended in the Australian guidelines, and sooner if symptoms are getting worse rather than better.
Returning to sport in Australia
Return to sport is gradual, moving up one stage at a time (usually at least 24 hours per stage) from light exercise, to sport-specific drills, to contact. Under the AIS 2024 guidelines for under-19s and community sport:
- Be symptom-free at rest for at least 14 days before contact training — counted from the day symptoms stop, not the day of the injury.
- Be cleared for full contact training by a health professional with concussion training, usually a GP or physiotherapist.
- Wait at least 21 days after the concussion before playing competitive contact sport.
Many sports, including community Australian football, have adopted the 21-day rule. Who can give clearance varies, so check with your sport's governing body (for example the Perth Football League) or your school's concussion policy.
Find concussion care in Perth
Browse verified concussion providers across Perth — physiotherapists, GPs and neuropsychologists — and use the map to find one close to home. You don't need a referral to see a physiotherapist privately.
Where this information comes from
- Patricios JS, et al. Consensus statement on concussion in sport: the 6th International Conference on Concussion in Sport – Amsterdam, October 2022. British Journal of Sports Medicine 2023;57:695–711. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2023-106898
- Concussion Recognition Tool 6 (CRT6), from the same conference.
- Australian Institute of Sport. Concussion and Brain Health Position Statement 2024, and the Australian Concussion Guidelines for Youth and Community Sport. ausport.gov.au/concussion
This page is general information, not medical advice for your situation. Your own health professional's advice comes first, and your sport or school may have its own concussion rules.