Swimming and Diving with a concussion

Swimming and Diving with a concussion

During concussion recovery, your provider will likely recommend altering some of your normal activities. While recovering it is very important to not do any activity with a high risk of hitting your head again, as this could worsen your injury. Recent concussion guidelines encourage children and adolescents to rest initially, but then start being active and doing their normal routine with some minor modifications. In the summer time this will likely include swimming activities.

Things to consider before going swimming after a concussion:

• As always, your child should swim with an adult present.
• If swimming with a group, be sure the group is small and those present are not likely to get too rowdy.
• Before swimming, discuss with your child the swimming activities that are okay and those to avoid such as jumping in, diving, or ‘tricks’ into the pool.
• Swimming in a pool is likely okay, though we would not recommend swimming in a river, lake, or ocean. In these settings currents can cause additional risk and may increase fatigue and could lead to additional head injury.

If your child is on the swim team or swims competitively talk with your provider before returning to practice or competition.

Your child should not dive into a pool after a concussion until cleared by their provider.

With any activity after a concussion it is important to stop and rest if it worsens symptoms. Once symptoms improve it is okay to try an activity again, stopping if it worsens symptoms.