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Clinicians who care for adolescents with sports-related concussions typically recommend strict cognitive and physical rest, but some recent evidence (NEJM JW Gen Med Mar 15 2019 and JAMA Pediatr 2019; 173:319) suggests that light aerobic activity may speed recovery without causing or exacerbating persistent postconcussive symptoms.
Investigators at three U.S. sports medicine concussion centers conducted a randomized controlled trial of early targeted heart rate (HR) aerobic exercise in 118 adolescents with sports-related concussions. The intervention group was instructed to exercise daily for 20 minutes at 90% of the maximum HR achievable without symptom exacerbation; the placebo group was prescribed light stretching and breathing exercises …