Injury/recovery question

[lyorn]

I banged my head badly on an open window yesterday (badly means, I fell back and sat on my butt for a few minutes before I was able to get up again, and I have a bruise now right above the hairline that has started migrating towards my right eye). My neck muscles are still somewhat in shock from the impact and cause pain and some numbness in my right arm. My vision did not do anything weird, and there wasn't even much of a headache.

I know from experience that it would be a very good thing for the muscles if I went to the gym and did some lifting. But I fear it might not be that good for my head.

What's your opinion and advice? Rest days? How many? Or back to the gym tomorrow?

To make this more annoying, I'm trying to get back in shape after a summer break that somehow extended until after my vacation earlier this month...

Comments

[contrarywise]

I suggest consulting your doctor on this. Head and neck injuries can be serious, so if you're concerned about the safety of exercise and lifting, get yourself checked out in person.

[lyorn]

Unfortunatly I can give a very good guess what my doctor would say or do, and none of it is helpful. (Yes, I am a crybaby, no, I do not need a CT in two weeks.) :-/

[contrarywise]

Fair enough--my doctor tends to prescribe expensive and annoying tests just to be on the safe side too. Glad to hear things are already feeling better, good luck!

[faesdeynia]

If you are/start having concussion symptoms (confusion, dizziness, disorientation, forgetfulness, nausea/vomiting, etc.) you should get checked out at an ER or urgent care. The symptoms aren't always immediate. They'll probably tell you to wait it out, but getting evaluated is better safe. I'm surprised you don't have such an awful headache that the idea of working out is repugnant.

If you have enough muscle tightness that it's causing numbness down your arm, you're compressing a nerve plexus. Numbness like that can lead to weakness too, which is dangerous when you've got the bar over your head. Focus on relaxing and stretching out your neck for now, and apply some heat/massage. Take rest days until full feeling returns to your arm, and you can use it as well as before. Avoid yoga poses that require full arm support (such as downward dog).

Working out very tight muscles isn't always the best option, and with a head injury, you want to be careful. Weight lifting increases abdominal pressure, which in turn increases blood pressure and intracranial pressure, and if you have something bad up there, IICP is a bad thing - even a minor spike. If you absolutely must work out, stick to body weight until your arm is back to normal.

But, IMO, a few days off isn't going to wreck your progress, and you don't want to injure yourself further. (I'm a nurse.)

[lyorn]

Thank you!

I had a concussion twice in my life so far, and both times I spent a week in hospital and it's not by half that bad this time. But good info about symptoms probably appearing later, I'll keep alert for a few days.

Also, good point about not wanting the bar to hit me on the head. I have now applied warmth and shoulder rehab exercises, which seems to have worked: Numbness is gone.

I think I'll give it time until the bruise isn't that tender to the touch anymore. And I'm going to have a very realistic black eye for Halloween.

[feldman]

One thing to keep in mind is that any subsequent knocks on the head can be more damaging, as it looks like even a mild concussion will make one vulnerable to reacting badly to a second concussion for weeks or months afterward.