Barriers to Recovery in Concussion

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine factors that influence recovery from a concussion and to investigate the association between duration and quality of prescribed rest and recovery time. Background: The prescribed treatment for a concussion is physical and cognitive rest. Both physicians and patients struggle with defining “rest” and understanding the consequences of compliance. Few studies have been done to determine the optimal prescription of rest necessary to influence recovery. Design/Methods: Patients diagnosed with concussion between the ages 7 and 70 years completed a questionnaire regarding their activity during their recovery period. 180 patients had completed the questionnaire between November 2011 and October 2016. Chi-square tests were used to test factors associated with prolonged recovery. Results: Females were nearly two times as susceptible to risk for prolonged recovery (OR:1.91; p=0.036). Individuals who sustained a concussion via fall were over three times as likely to have a recovery ≥ 30 days (OR:3.29; p Conclusions: These factors all have a significant impact on concussion recovery time: gender, injury mechanism, sport played, and pastimes during recovery. Females have a more difficult time recovering than males. Simple activities such as using the computer for leisure or carrying heavy items may prolong recovery. Patients with a history of learning disability may experience longer recovery times. Disclosure: Dr. Halvorsen has nothing to disclose. Dr. Bains has nothing to disclose. Dr. Nguyen has nothing to disclose. Dr. Cogsil has nothing to disclose. Dr. Cummings has nothing to disclose. Dr. Dalal has nothing to disclose. Dr. Zhang has nothing to disclose. Dr. Teena has received personal compensation for activities with GE-NFL as a medical advisory board member. Dr. Teena has received research support from GE-NFL, Chembio, and Abbott.