Published: August 6th 2026
Author: MET Phys Allied Health Team, Highfields QLD
Reading time: Approx. 6 minutes
August is Brain Injury Awareness Month in Australia – and at MET Phys, it’s a month that sits close to our hearts. Brain injury touches more Australian lives than most people realise, and the road to recovery is rarely walked alone. This post is for anyone who has experienced a brain injury, loves someone who has, or simply wants to understand what it means and what help is available.
What Is a Brain Injury?
A brain injury is any damage to the brain that disrupts how it normally works. There are two broad categories:
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Caused by an external force – a fall, a car accident, a sporting collision, a blow to the head. TBI ranges from mild (concussion) to severe, depending on the nature of the impact and how the brain responds.
Acquired Brain Injury (ABI)
Any brain damage that occurs after birth from internal causes. This includes stroke, hypoxia (lack of oxygen to the brain), infection such as meningitis, tumours, and the effects of substance use.
The Numbers in Australia
- 1 in 45 Australians lives with a brain injury
- Over 700,000 Australians have a brain injury that causes daily activity limitations
- Every 4 minutes, someone in Australia is hospitalised for a head injury
- Over 150,000 people experience a traumatic brain injury each year
- Men are more likely to experience brain injury than women – though it affects people of every age, background, and life stage.
Brain injury is one of the leading causes of long-term disability in Australia. And yet it remains one of the least understood.
What Does a Brain Injury Actually Do?
No two brain injuries are the same. The effects depend on which part of the brain was affected, the severity of the injury, and the person’s overall health and circumstances. Common effects include:
Physical
- Fatigue – often profound and poorly understood by others
- Headaches and dizziness
- Balance and coordination difficulties
- Weakness or paralysis on one side of the body
- Seizures
- Changes in vision or hearing
Cognitive
- Memory difficulties – particularly short-term memory
- Reduced concentration and attention
- Slower processing speed
- Difficulty with planning, problem-solving, and decision-making
- Word-finding difficulties
Emotional and Behavioural
- Mood swings, irritability, and emotional dysregulation
- Anxiety and depression
- Impulsivity or disinhibition
- Personality changes that can be distressing for both the person and their family
- Grief – for the life and identity that existed before the injury
Communication and Swallowing
- Difficulty finding words or forming sentences
- Changes in voice quality or fluency
- Swallowing difficulties (dysphagia)
The invisible effects – fatigue, cognitive changes, emotional dysregulation – are often the hardest to live with, and the hardest for others to understand.
Recovery Is Possible – and Allied Health Is Central to It
The brain has a remarkable capacity to adapt and rewire itself — a quality called neuroplasticity. Recovery from brain injury is not a straight line, and it rarely has a clear endpoint. But with the right support, the right team, and the right approach, meaningful improvement is possible at every stage.
At MET Phys, our multi-disciplinary team works together to support people living with brain injury — from the early stages of recovery through to long-term community participation. Here is what each discipline brings to the table.
Exercise Physiology
The role: Rebuilding physical capacity, managing fatigue, and supporting brain health through structured,
evidence-based exercise.
Exercise is one of the most powerful tools available in brain injury rehabilitation — and it is increasingly supported by strong Australian evidence. A national guideline on physical activity for people with moderate to severe TBI, developed with Medical Research Future Fund support, now guides best practice across Australian rehabilitation services and community programs.
What our EPs do for clients with brain injury:
- Fatigue management — one of the most debilitating effects of brain injury. Our EPs design programs that build capacity gradually without triggering post-exertional crashes.
- Cardiovascular and strength training — evidence shows aerobic exercise promotes neuroplasticity, improves mood, and supports cognitive recovery.
- Balance and coordination training — reducing fall risk and rebuilding confidence in movement.
- Return to activity planning — whether that’s returning to work, sport, or simply being able to walk to the letterbox without exhaustion.
- Group exercise — our group EP classes provide structured movement in a supported, social environment — which matters enormously for people who have become isolated after injury.
Exercise is not just good for the body after brain injury. It is good for the brain itself.
Occupational Therapy
The role: Rebuilding independence in daily life — the activities that matter most to the person. Occupational therapy is often the cornerstone of brain injury rehabilitation. OTs work with the whole person — their cognitive, physical, emotional, and environmental context — to help them participate in the life they want to live.
What our OTs do for clients with brain injury:
- Cognitive rehabilitation — structured strategies for memory, attention, planning, and problem-solving.
- Activities of daily living (ADL) retraining — showering, dressing, cooking, managing finances, using technology.
- Home and workplace assessment — identifying and modifying barriers in the environment so the person can function safely and independently.
- Return to work or study — graded reintegration with appropriate supports and accommodations.
- NDIS support — our OT team are experienced NDIS providers who can support goal-setting, plan
implementation, and functional capacity assessments. - Carer support — helping families and carers understand the injury and build sustainable support strategies.
Speech Pathology
The role: Restoring communication and safe swallowing. Brain injury can profoundly affect the way a person communicates — and communication is at the heart of every relationship, every interaction, and every moment of independence.
What our SPs do for clients with brain injury:
- Aphasia therapy — rebuilding language function and finding alternative communication strategies.
- Dysarthria — working on clarity, breath support, and communication strategies.
- Cognitive-communication — the subtle but significant effects of brain injury on conversation.
- Dysphagia (swallowing) — assessing swallowing function and providing strategies to support safe eating and drinking.
- AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) — supporting the use of communication devices and strategies for clients with severe communication difficulties.
Physiotherapy
The role: Restoring movement, strength, and physical function.
What our physio team does for clients with brain injury:
- Neurological physiotherapy — retraining movement patterns, improving motor control, and rebuilding strength and coordination.
- Spasticity management — targeted stretching, positioning, and movement to manage spasticity and prevent secondary complications.
- Gait retraining — helping clients walk safely and efficiently again.
- Vestibular rehabilitation — specific vestibular exercises to retrain the balance system.
- Pain management — addressing headaches, neck pain, and musculoskeletal pain.
- Falls prevention — particularly important for older adults and those with significant balance impairment.
Osteopathy
The role: Manual therapy to address the physical and neurological effects of brain injury on the body’s structure and function.
What our osteopath does for clients with brain injury:
- Post-concussion symptom management — research supports osteopathic manipulative treatment for post-traumatic headaches and dizziness.
- Cervical spine assessment and treatment — addressing cervical dysfunction to reduce headache and dizziness.
- Nervous system support — addressing the relationship between the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system.
- Tension and pain relief — addressing chronic muscle tension, postural changes, and compensatory movement patterns.
- Whole-person care — a genuinely integrative approach to structural, neurological, and metabolic recovery.
Counselling
The role: Supporting the emotional, psychological, and identity adjustment that brain injury demands.
What our counsellor provides:
- Emotional support and processing — a safe, confidential space to express grief, frustration, fear, and loss.
- Adjustment counselling — helping clients and families adapt to the changes that brain injury brings.
- Anxiety and depression — evidence-based approaches including CBT and trauma-informed care.
- Behavioural support — strategies for understanding and managing behavioural changes.
- Carer and family support — supporting the people who love someone with a brain injury.
- Identity and purpose — helping clients explore what a good life looks like from here.
The Power of a Team
Brain injury is complex. No single discipline has all the answers — and no single professional can address every dimension of recovery. What makes the difference is a team that communicates, collaborates, and keeps the person — not the diagnosis — at the centre of every decision.
At MET Phys, our multi-disciplinary team works together across exercise physiology, occupational therapy, speech pathology, physiotherapy, osteopathy, and counselling. We share information, coordinate goals, and support each other’s work — because that is what genuine allied health looks like.
If you or someone you love is living with a brain injury — whether it happened last week or ten years ago — we would love to talk.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
■ Call us to speak with our friendly admin team about which services might be right for you.
■ Email us to request an initial appointment or ask a question.
■ Visit us at 10517 New England Highway, Highfields — approximately 20 minutes north of Toowoomba.
MET Phys is a registered NDIS provider. We support participants with acquired brain injury across exercise physiology, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech pathology.
Sources: Brain Injury Australia; Australian Institute of Health and Welfare; Exercise & Sports Science Australia; Synapse Inc; Australian Physical Activity Guidelines for Moderate-Severe TBI (MRFF); Speech Pathology Australia; Occupational Therapy Australia; Australian Physiotherapy Association.
