More Physical Activity Is Correlated With Reduction in Kinesiophobia for Adolescents With Persistent Symptoms After Concussion.
Katherine L Smulligan, Mathew J Wingerson, Corrine N Seehusen and 3 others
PMID 36220143WHAT IT FOUND
For adolescents with persistent concussion symptoms, taking more steps and exercising more often during recovery correlated with a moderate reduction in fear of movement.
This link was not seen in those who recovered quickly, and intensity or duration did not matter.
Key findings
01In the persistent symptoms group, lower kinesiophobia at return to play was moderately correlated with higher daily step count and exercise frequency.
02This correlation between physical activity and reduced fear of movement was not observed in the group without persistent symptoms.
03Exercise intensity (heart rate) and duration were not correlated with changes in kinesiophobia in either group.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study used a small sample size, which may have left it underpowered to detect subtle effects. Participants were recruited from a specialty sports medicine clinic, so results may not apply to adolescents treated in other settings. The study could not control for attention deficit disorder, which was more common in the persistent symptoms group and may have influenced results. Factors like sport type, position, age, and pre-injury activity levels were not controlled for and could affect kinesiophobia. The minimal important change score for the kinesiophobia scale was derived from adults with chronic low back pain, not adolescents with concussion.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the correlation between physical activity and reduced fear of movement as proof that exercise causes this benefit. The study design was observational, so causality cannot be determined, and the relationship was only significant in the subgroup with persistent symptoms.