Remote Aerobic Exercise Accelerates Teen Concussion Recovery
Young people recovering from a concussion recover faster when they follow a gradually increasing aerobic exercise program supported by weekly video calls, according to a study published in JAMA Pediatrics. The trial, led by Seattle Children’s pediatrician Sara Chrisman and reported by ScienceAlert, evaluated 210 participants aged 11 to 18 across four US states who were still experiencing symptoms an average of 73 days after their injuries.
Prolonged recovery periods can cause teenagers to fall behind in school and drift away from peer groups, making timely interventions critical, Chrisman told ScienceAlert. While previous clinical trials demonstrated that raising the heart rate helps early in concussion recovery, those approaches required repeated in-person clinic visits using treadmill tests to establish exercise targets.
Structured Heart-Rate Targets and Coaching
Researchers randomly assigned 104 participants to an aerobic exercise group and 106 participants to a control group performing stretching exercises, with both groups maintaining their usual concussion care. Participants in the aerobic group received fitness trackers and started with an initial target of about 120 beats per minute for 10 minutes, stopping if any symptom increased by two points.
Most participants chose brisk walking or riding an exercise bike. Trained health coaches reviewed progress and symptoms during weekly video calls over six weeks, gradually raising the heart-rate target to about 150 beats per minute and lengthening session times as participants built tolerance. The stretching group also completed daily exercises and participated in weekly coaching calls to ensure both groups received equal attention.
Symptom Trajectory and Quality-of-Life Improvements
Both groups showed improvement over the course of the trial, but symptoms eased faster among those in the aerobic exercise group. Three months after enrollment, the aerobic group reported greater gains in health-related quality of life and faster symptom reduction, averaging roughly a three-point improvement on the symptom questionnaire and four points on the quality-of-life measure.
Exploratory analyses revealed additional benefits for participants who enrolled within 90 days of their injury, whereas those enrolled after 90 days showed no clear advantage over the stretching group. Participants with symptoms lasting longer than three months likely require more intensive support addressing school, sleep, and mood, according to the researchers. No adverse events related to trial participation were reported.
Frequently Asked Questions About Teen Concussion Exercise
What caused the concussions in the study participants?
About three-quarters of the participants sustained their concussions in sports-related collisions. Other causes included non-sport collisions and motor vehicle crashes.
How were exercise intensity levels monitored during the program?
Participants in the aerobic exercise group used fitness trackers to monitor their heart rates, starting at a target of approximately 120 beats per minute and eventually advancing to 150 beats per minute under the guidance of weekly video calls with health coaches.
Why does aerobic exercise help with concussion recovery?
While the exact mechanism was not measured in this trial, regular exercise has been linked in other research to better memory and concentration, potentially involving biological substances that support nerve-cell growth.
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