Neck Symptoms and Associated Clinical Outcomes in Patients Following Concussion.
Anthony A Oyekan, Shawn Eagle, Alicia M Trbovich and 5 others
PMID 36854136WHAT IT FOUND
Patients with more severe neck symptoms after concussion took longer to recover, averaging 40 days versus 30 days.
Neck pain was reported by nearly half of all patients, with higher rates in non-sports injuries like falls and motor vehicle accidents compared to sports-related concussions.
Key findings
01Patients reporting more severe neck symptoms had a longer time to concussion recovery (40 ± 27 days) compared to those with no or mild neck symptoms (30 ± 28 days).
02Motor vehicle accidents and falls were significant risk factors for more severe neck symptoms, while sports-related injuries were associated with lower frequencies of neck pain and difficulty moving the neck.
03Despite the association with prolonged recovery, there were no statistically significant differences in referral rates for physical therapy, vestibular, or ocular care between patients with severe neck symptoms and those without.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study is retrospective and relies on self-reported neck symptoms, which may be subject to recall or reporting bias. The cohort was drawn from a specialty clinic with a large proportion of sports-related concussions, which may limit generalizability to other settings. Neck symptoms were not objectively examined (e.g., range of motion or palpation), so the severity classification is based solely on patient perception. The study did not assess whether early physical therapy intervention actually shortened recovery time in this specific subgroup, only that the association exists.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that the association between neck symptoms and prolonged recovery proves that treating the neck will shorten the recovery time. This study observed an association but did not test an intervention, so causality cannot be established.