To evaluate the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary treatment approach for adolescents experiencing prolonged recovery from concussion.

Although most youth recover from a concussion within 2-4 weeks, an estimated 14% of those injured remain symptomatic at 3 months post-injury. For those experiencing protracted recovery, the 2017 Berlin Concussion in Sport Group Consensus Statement recommends multidisciplinary collaborative care. While recent research utilizing progressive aerobic exercise among adolescents with concussion has shown promise for reduction in symptom burden, limited evidence exists for multidisciplinary care.

Participants included 39 adolescents (77% female, 87% Caucasian) referred to the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Complex Concussion Clinic. All patients included had persistent (≥30 days post-injury) post-concussion symptoms (SCAT-5 symptom score ≥10).  The sample ranged in age from 11-20 years (mean=15.0, SD=2.0) and median days since injury was 60 (range=30-161). 31% of participants had a history of one or more previous concussions, 54% had a history of anxiety or depression, and 26% had a history of ADHD or a learning disorder. The multidisciplinary treatment included sessions with Neurology (mean number of sessions =2.5), Neuropsychology (mean=2.1), Physical Therapy (mean=3.6), and Athletic Training sessions involving graded physical exercise (mean=4.0), with an average treatment duration of 57.4 days. SCAT-5 symptom rating scales were completed at each visit.

Symptom burden among participants significantly decreased between their initial visit (mean=49.6, SD=19.2) and final exercise session (mean=12.8, SD=14.1); p <.001. Gender did not predict symptom ratings at treatment onset, though males (mean=5.6) had significantly lower symptom scores than females (mean=15.0) at their final visit (p<.05). Demographic factors and premorbid psychological history did not predict rate of symptom improvement.

High rates of premorbid psychological problems are evident in children referred for treatment of PCS. Multidisciplinary care involving graded aerobic exercise and psychological intervention shows promise, though specific factors associated with treatment response remain to be elucidated.