The extent of the former is likely to be the most pressing concern.
Star prop Ethan de Groot could be in doubt for the trip to Hamilton to play the Chiefs this weekend.
He lasted just eight minutes in the game against the Brumbies on Saturday before appearing to cop a knee to the head in a tackle, and after a spell on the ground, he left the field for an HIA.
The match-day doctor made the call that de Groot was not fit to return.
Highlanders coach Clarke Dermody said on Saturday night it was too early to determine if de Groot’s knock was going to mean some time off.
They also needed some time to assess an injury to Max Hicks that looked potentially serious.
Hicks, who has been excellent at lock the past two weeks, left the field cradling his arm and was later seen with a large ice pack on his wrist.
"They were just worried about a fracture, so that’s why he didn’t come back out," Dermody said.
"He was pretty keen to keep going but it was better to err on the side of caution there."
There was much to like about the Highlanders’ performance on Saturday, including the fact they made 514 attacking metres to the Brumbies’ 377, and had 39 defenders beaten to their opponents’ 14.
But the score is the score, and the 27-21 loss niggled Dermody just a bit.
"We sort of lost our shape a bit and we sort of got a bit individual, definitely at the back end of the first half and the start of the second half.
"That meant easy turnovers for the Brumbies.
"Then, when we did get on attack, we let ourselves down with some of our execution.
"I think we went into our shells a bit. We stopped using our skill.
"I felt like if we’d been prepared to shift the ball a bit more, there was actually opportunity to get one-on-ones."
Expectations on the Highlanders were low this season after losing two starting All Blacks and bringing a cadre of rookies into the squad.
Their response has been promising. They have won two of their four games — both losses were highly competitive — and unleashed a vastly more potent backline, as well as given those youngsters plenty of time.
"I feel like we’re learning," Dermody said.
"It’s just the fact we had a chance to win and we didn’t quite nail it. That’s the one that’s going to burn.
"Good to get the point but I felt we were better than that.
"I’m rapt to get time for our young guys. They’re the future of the club, and to play a good team in front of home fans was a good test for them and I know they learned a lot.
"It was a learning curve for a lot of our boys."
The Highlanders sit snugly in sixth on the Super Rugby Pacific table, level on points (but well ahead on points difference) with the Rebels and three points behind the fifth-ranked Brumbies.
The Hurricanes remain top, on 17 points, two points clear of the chasing pack led by the Reds, while the Crusaders and Force remain the only two winless teams.
There have been pleas for an even competition and it was another weekend to celebrate as only the Reds’ 53-26 win over the Rebels was a blowout.
Moana Pasifika continued their resurgence with a 22-14 win in Perth, the Chiefs beat the Fijian Drua 46-29 in Hamilton after leading by just seven at halftime, and the Blues pipped the Waratahs 12-10.
