February 19, 2024
2 minute read
Important points:
- Increasing the amount of MVPA two weeks after concussion reduced the odds of persistent symptoms by 48%.
- However, the researchers warned against overexercising and recommended a gradual approach.
Researchers found that young people who accumulated a certain amount of moderate to vigorous physical activity in the first two weeks after a concussion were less likely to have persistent symptoms.
according to Dr. André Anne Ledoux, University of Ottawa assistant professors and colleagues have found that physical activity early after a concussion speeds recovery, reduces symptom burden in the first two weeks after injury, and lowers the risk of persistent symptoms.
“However, the optimal amount of daily physical activity to achieve recovery in the general pediatric population remains unclear,” the researchers wrote in their paper. JAMA network open.
Researchers analyzed data from 267 Canadian children and adolescents (mean age 12 years, 44.6% girls) who had suffered an acute concussion and participated in a randomized clinical trial.
Cumulative moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (cMVPA) was measured 24 hours a day for 13 days post-injury using an accelerometer worn by the adolescents on their waist.
In the current study, Ldoux and colleagues used Health Behavior Inventory (HBI) scores to determine symptom burden at 1, 2, and 4 weeks postinjury.
They found that participants who took an amount of 259 minutes of cMVPA in the first week had lower HBI scores compared to those who took 90 minutes of cMVPA (difference = 5.45, 95% CI, 7.67~3.24). Additionally, youth who received 565 minutes of their cMVPA in their first 2 weeks had lower HBI scores compared to youth who received 237 minutes of cMVPA (difference = 2.85; 95% CI, 4.74 to 0.97).
Overall, higher amounts of cMVPA at 2 weeks post-injury were associated with a 48% (OR = 0.48; 95% CI, 0.24-0.94) decreased odds of persistent symptoms after concussion compared to lower amounts of cMVPA. did.
Ledoux et al. noted that their results cannot determine a chance association between cMVPA and symptom burden and “may be limited by reverse causality.”
They also noted that findings were not significant at 4 weeks post-injury, and that exceeding 300 minutes in the first week did not reduce symptom burden and “may even lead to an increase in symptoms.”
“In contrast to those who avoided physical activity, individuals who exercised excessively may require a different clinical approach,” the researchers wrote. “As outlined in concussion guidelines, patients should gradually resume physical activity as long as their symptoms are tolerated. This phased approach allows for safe and effective recovery while minimizing the risk of worsening symptoms. You can return to physical activity effectively.”
