Supportive Elements and Challenges to Return to Work Following a Concussion: A Scoping Review.
Maryam Shahzad, Joyce Lo, Beatrice Yuen and 3 others
PMID 40266682WHAT IT FOUND
Concussion recovery at work depends on more than symptoms.
Personal agency and social support help, while prolonged rest advice and poor funder relations hinder return. Clinicians should prioritize individualized, abilities-focused plans over generic rest.
Key findings
01Advice to rest for more than two days was associated with a lower likelihood of returning to work or school one to two months after injury.
02Workplace accommodations that fit the person's post-injury abilities and social support from colleagues are key facilitators, while poor fit and isolation hinder return.
03Funders and insurance systems present significant barriers due to adversarial relations and administrative burdens, with no supportive elements identified in the reviewed studies.
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 review excluded pediatric and military veteran populations, so findings do not apply to these groups. Only peer-reviewed English studies were included, potentially missing relevant local or non-English data. The included studies varied widely in design and quality, including qualitative, cohort, and trial data. There were no studies reporting supportive elements for funders, which may reflect a research bias toward identifying problems rather than successes. The date range spans 1999 to 2024, covering a period when concussion management guidelines changed significantly.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the lack of identified funder supportive elements as evidence that all funding systems are harmful. The review authors suggest this gap may arise because research is often problem-oriented and effective facilitators go unnoticed.
Summarised by AI from the full paper, without a clinician reviewing it. Check it against the source before it changes what you do. Read it on PubMed →