Until now, the conventional wisdom surrounding concussions dictated complete rest for individuals who experienced one. However, a new consensus statement from over 100 international researchers and clinicians suggests that athletes with mild concussions should engage in light physical and mental activity to aid their recovery.
According to The Guardian, the statement took five years to complete and relied on 10 systematic reviews of concussion-related evidence. The findings and recommendations in the report differ from recent UK government guidance, which advises athletes with concussions to avoid contact sports for 21 days and any training for 14 days.
A concussion is a traumatic brain injury typically caused by a blow or jolt to the head. It results in symptoms such as disorientation, headaches, amnesia, sensitivity to light and sound, which can persist for several weeks.
The Concussion in Sport Group (CISG) hosts a conference every four years to shape concussion treatment policies, aiming to provide optimal care to athletes at all levels. At the end of the conference, a consensus statement is published.
The latest statement, based on the outcomes of a meeting held in Amsterdam in October 2022, recommends that individuals who have experienced a concussion can begin light-intensity physical activities, such as walking or stationary cycling, 24-48 hours after the injury. They can then gradually increase the intensity of their exercises.
However, the consensus statement cautions that if there is a significant increase in concussion symptoms intensity during exercise, the patient should stop. This increase is defined as a two-point rise on a scale of 0-10, where 0 represents no symptoms and 10 represents the highest intensity of symptoms.
The statement also advises patients to limit screen time during the first 48 hours after a concussion, as prolonged screen exposure can drain cognitive abilities and impede recovery.
Prof. John Leddy, Director of the University of Buffalo’s concussion management clinic and a member of the consensus panel, stated, “The message is to get patients moving, but in a controlled fashion, and that mild symptom exacerbation is OK.” He further emphasized that total rest for concussion patients was previously believed to be necessary, but recent evidence over the past five to six years has shown that it not only fails to aid recovery but may actually delay it. On the other hand, controlled physical activity, including aerobic exercise, has been found to speed up recovery and reduce the incidence of persistent symptoms.
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