The Influence of Prescribed Exercise on Pain Related Fear Following Concussion in Collegiate Athletes

University of Virginia

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Concussion, Brain

Treatments: Behavioral: Treadmill Walking

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06246669

HSR230522

Details and patient eligibility

About

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare the effects of acute aerobic exercise at two different intensities on psychological measures, symptomology, and time to symptom free in collegiate student athletes with concussion. The main questions it aims to answer are:

• Does prescribed, acute aerobic exercise influence measures of pain related fear, anxiety, depression, symptoms, and recovery time?
• Does the intensity of the exercise prescription also influence the aforementioned outcomes?

Participants will be randomly assigned into either a light intensity or moderate intensity aerobic exercise (treadmill walking) group. They will initiate the exercise protocol 48 hours following their concussion diagnosis, and complete exercise sessions 5 times per week until they report symptom-free. Researchers will compare the light intensity group to the moderate intensity group to see if intensity of exercise influences psychological measures of pain related fear, anxiety, depression, symptomology, and time to symptom-free.

Enrollment: 46 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 25 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Collegiate athlete (varsity)
• Symptomatic at time of exercise prescription

Exclusion criteria

• If advanced neuroimaging was performed, any subject with a structural abnormality will be excluded
• History of traumatic brain injury requiring hospitalization
• Not cleared to play their sport by a physician due to some other injury such as an ankle sprain or muscle strain
• If individual is diagnosed with any condition that is a contraindication to aerobic exercise. Please note that all participants will have already been cleared to participate in their respective collegiate sport after extensive pre-participation physical examinations upon entering the university.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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46 participants in 2 patient groups

Moderate Intensity

Experimental group

Description:

Treadmill walking at a rating of perceived exertion (RPE) of 13.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Treadmill Walking

Light Intensity

Experimental group

Description:

Treadmill walking at a rating of perceived exertion (RPE) of 9.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Treadmill Walking