2024 NFL Week 2 – Tua Tagovailoa

At a Glance 
Player: Tua Tagovailoa
Position: Quarterback
Team: Miami Dolphins
Injury: Concussion
Projected Recovery Time: undetermined

Week 2 and injuries abound around the league – some in a few high profile players…

San Francisco’s star Running Back Christian McCaffrey is out for at least 3 weeks with calf issues. His team definitely felt his absence in their upset loss against the Vikings this week. And the Eagles are facing their Monday Night Football rivals, the Falcons, without top Wide Receiver, AJ Brown due to a hamstring injury.

But the injury that everyone is talking about this week is Miami Dolphins Quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa’s concussion from Thursday Night Football against the Buffalo Bills.

With the rough nature of the sport, concussions are fairly common in football. In fact concussions are the most common injury for football players! However this is Tua’s 3rd confirmed concussion since entering the NFL in 2021. He had 2 concussions back to back in 2022 and now a 3rd just this week. Concussions are a type of traumatic brain injury and even though at one time, they were not considered a serious injury, we now know that any brain injury can have lasting effects.

Concussions can be a difficult injury to treat as people present differently, depending on the severity of the concussion, but Tua will likely be working with a PT regardless of the severity of his injury. The biggest goal of Tua’s physical therapy program will be to re-introduce activities gradually. The concern around Tua returning to high level activities too quickly, is that a brain bleed can develop from excessive swelling, or he could develop post-concussive syndrome, in which symptoms last for several months. It is imperative that Tua be sidelined and treated by his healthcare team if he has symptoms.

Typical symptoms of concussions include headaches, dizziness, and “feeling foggy”, and early interventions in Tua’s PT program will help him improve his tolerance to moving his head, standing, and performing daily activities. Tua will also work on strengthening key muscle groups in the neck, as well as addressing vestibular impairments, which are very common with concussions. Vestibular (or inner ear) problems interfere with balance and coordination, and PTs have a variety of exercises to help Tua improve his stability. As he progresses, the exercises will become more difficult to ensure he can tolerate the demands of professional football. His PTs will know the signs of a poor response to exercise to make sure he isn’t doing too much, and hopefully he will be able to make a full recovery.

Recovering from a concussion requires time, patience, and proper care. Here are a few things PT’s focus on during concussion rehab:

1. Oculomotor Training: Concussions can affect the coordination and control of eye movements, leading to visual disturbances. Oculomotor training focuses on improving eye tracking, fixation, and other visual skills. This training helps individuals regain visual function, reduce dizziness, and enhance overall visual processing.

2. Balance Training: Balance is often compromised after a concussion due to the impact on the vestibular system and proprioception. Balance training involves specific exercises and techniques to restore stability and improve proprioceptive awareness. It helps individuals regain their balance, reduces dizziness, and prevents falls.

3. Cardiovascular Training: Concussion recovery also involves gradually reintroducing physical activity. Cardiovascular training helps improve endurance, cardiovascular health, and overall fitness. It is essential to start with low-intensity exercises and gradually increase intensity under the guidance of a healthcare professional.

As of now Tua has reported that he has no plans to retire from his football career. Hopefully Tua will take the time he needs to fully recuperate and he will not experience any additional concussions this season or his future in the NFL.

Click here to read more about concussions and see Dr. Dan Deitz demonstrate some of the movements that would be a part of the early, mid, and later phases of a comprehensive concussion rehabilitation program.