When ice hockey player Amanda Kessel got a concussion, she thought she was doing the right thing by resting. But her migraines and dizziness didn’t improve, and she became anxious and depressed. As it turns out, rest is no longer the recommended treatment for athletes suffering from prolonged concussions. In fact, it can make them worse. It was only once Amanda started a new course of treatment involving exercise and medication that she got back on the ice. And now, she’s once again going for gold at the Olympics.
Michael Tabb is a former video and motion graphics producer at FiveThirtyEight. @michaeljtabb
Meghan McDonough is a video journalist and FiveThirtyEight contributor. @meg3mcd
