Citation

Dobney DM, Grilli L, Beaulieu C, Straub M, Galli C, Saklas M, Friedman D, Dubrovsky AS, Gagnon IJ. Clin. J. Sport. Med. 2020; 30(6): 519-525.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Canadian Academy of Sport Medicine, Publisher Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/JSM.0000000000000671

PMID

33141524

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The primary objective is to evaluate the feasibility (safety and acceptability) of implementing early active rehabilitation (AR) for concussion management in youth with symptoms persisting 2 weeks after injury. A secondary and exploratory objective was to estimate the potential efficacy of early AR compared with standard AR. We hypothesize that AR at 2-weeks postconcussion will be safe and acceptable to patients.

DESIGN: Randomized clinical trial.

SETTING: The Montreal Children's Hospital of the McGill University Health Center (MCH-MUHC), a tertiary care pediatric teaching hospital affiliated with McGill University in Montreal, Canada.

PARTICIPANTS: Twenty youth aged 9 to 17 years old with postconcussion symptoms for at least 2 weeks.

INTERVENTION: Active rehabilitation (aerobic exercise, coordination drills, visualization, and education/reassurance) was administered by physiotherapists in-person, and then continued as a home program.

METHODS: Twenty participants were randomized to either early AR (initiated 2 weeks after injury) or standard AR (initiated 4 weeks after injury).

RESULTS: Two adverse events (one in each group) were identified through an online survey more than one-month postconcussion. Postconcussion symptoms decreased over time for both groups.

CONCLUSIONS: The results from this pilot study indicate that a full clinical trial estimating the efficacy of early AR (starting 2 weeks after injury) is feasible. Further study is needed to determine the superiority of this strategy over current treatment approaches.

Language: en