Effects of Interval-Training Exercise on People Who Have Had Persistent Post-Concussive Symptoms for Less Than One Year: A Pilot Study

This study is to examine the effects of a 12-session moderate intensity-interval-training program with blood flow restriction (BFR) and body cooling (BC) on people who have had persistent post-concussive symptoms (PPCS) for <1 year. A single-blind randomized controlled trial of interval-training exercise with BFR and BC was conducted. Twenty-five adults with PPCS were assigned to the experimental group ( n = 14) or the control group ( n = 11). Both groups rode a recumbent elliptical machine for 21 min at moderate intensity (65% predicted maximum heart rate) twice a week for 6 weeks, but only the experimental group received BFR and BC while riding. The variances of overall PPCS scale scores and their sub-domain scores for individuals during the 6-week intervention and 6-week follow-up period were calculated. During the intervention, the fluctuation of overall symptom severity, severity in the cognitive domain and severity in the mood domain were significantly less in the experimental group ( p = 0.03; p = 0.02; p = 0.02). During the follow-up period, the number of symptoms remained more stable in the experimental group ( p = 0.02), and a trend toward less fluctuation of symptom severity ( p = 0.05) was also observed. The reduced number of symptoms in the cognitive and sleep domains remained more stable in the experimental group following the intervention ( p = 0.007; p = 0.02). The severity of mood and sleep symptoms also remained more stable during the follow-up period in the experimental group ( p = 0.04). More stable recovery was found in individuals who exercised using BFR and BC than in those who underwent exercise without BFR and BC. Moderate intensity-interval-training exercise with BFR and BC alleviated post-concussive symptoms in people who have had PPCS <1 year.