Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 16, 2025
A Multi-Modal Approach to Assessing Recovery in Youth Athletes Following Concussion
Published on: September 25, 2014
Effect of Mild and Moderate Exertion on the Sideline Assessment of Concussion: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Rajiv K Jain1, Kendall A Marshall2, John J Leddy1
1UBMD Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York.
Objective:
Identify the effect size of mild and moderate levels of exertion on common sideline concussion assessment tool scores in healthy adolescent athletes.
Design:
Three arm randomized controlled trial.
Setting:
High school training rooms.
Participants:
Forty-seven healthy adolescents who participate in school sports and have not had a concussion within the past month.
Interventions:
Participants performed the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 5 (SCAT5) and Vestibular Ocular Motor Screen (VOMS) at rest. Participants were randomized to perform No Exertion (n = 16, 15-minute seated rest), Mild Exertion [n = 16, 50%-55% of heart rate (HR) max for 15 minutes on a treadmill], or Moderate Exertion (n = 15, 70%-75% of HR max). Participants then repeated the SCAT5 and VOMS immediately after a 2-minute cool down.
Main Outcome Measures:
Effect size of change after exertion.
Results:
Few differences were seen after mild and moderate levels of exertion. In the combined sample, there was a small increase in the number of modified balance error scoring system errors [d = -0.17 (-0.52, 0.19)], a medium degree of improvement in symptoms [d = 0.38 (0.01, 0.74)], and a small degree of improvement in cognitive scores [d = 0.20 (-0.16, 0.55)] after exercise. No differences on VOMS testing were observed.
Conclusions:
The SCAT5 and VOMS seem to be consistent measures even after mild and moderate levels of exertion (HR <75% of age-appropriate maximum). A future study should aim to identify the effect of maximal exertion.
