Subsymptom Threshold Exercise Protocol Following Mild TBI

Subsymptom Threshold Exercise Protocol (STEP) to Recovery Following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

The study will monitor outcomes of two interventions to develop a best practice in the treatment of mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI).

The proposed pilot randomized controlled clinical trial (RCCT) will provide preliminary data to examine the effect of a novel intervention to promote brain health after mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI). The study will implement a randomized controlled clinical trial of a 6 week exercise intervention (STEP) for participants with persistent mTBI symptoms, comparing STEP to standard of care practice in the controls. We will demonstrate the feasibility and acceptability of the STEP intervention. We hypothesize that STEP will lead to meaningful improvement on objective measures of self-reported mTBI symptoms, formal neuropsychological performance, and postural stability.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Participants who have sustained a concussion and have not experienced symptom resolution by 4 weeks, as indicated by a Post-Concussive Scale - Revised (PCS-R) score of 20 or higher at 4 weeks post-injury or beyond;
2. Participants are high school and college age (14-22 years old);
3. English speaking. -

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Outside of age range for the study (High school or college age)
2. Have physical injuries or comorbidities that restrict the athlete from engaging in the exercise intervention
3. Not fluent in English -