P.134 Movement medicine: A systematic review on the effect of early aerobic exercise initiation on symptom recovery following concussion

Abstract

Background: Mounting evidence supports aerobic exercise as a promising treatment option for individuals experiencing persistent post-concussion symptoms beyond four weeks. The purpose of this review was to determine whether initiating structured aerobic exercise within the early period (first two weeks) following concussion affects symptom recovery compared to standard care. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed using MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO and CENTRAL databases, combining keywords: (brain concussion, post-concussion syndrome, mild traumatic brain injury) AND (exercise, exercise therapy, physical activity, kinesiotherapy). Results were limited to Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs). All selected articles underwent quality assessment. Results: The search generated 112 unique abstracts, of which 5 met inclusion criteria. Sample sizes ranged from 16 to 103 participants. Of the four studies that were able to analyze between-group differences, one showed significantly faster recovery in the early aerobic exercise group compared to control, while three showed no significant difference. Two studies demonstrated a trend toward faster initial symptom resolution in the early exercise group. Conclusions: Preliminary RCT evidence suggests that aerobic exercise initiated in the early postconcussion period does not exacerbate symptoms or prolong recovery time, and may potentially hasten recovery. Larger, more rigorous RCTs are required to define the optimal exercise parameters to facilitate symptom recovery.