Study of Active Rehabilitation to Improve Recovery After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Military Service Members at Fort Bragg

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating whether a new active rehabilitation program can improve recovery outcomes for soldiers who have experienced mild traumatic brain injury mTBI, also known as concussion. The study aims to test if this active rehab approach helps soldiers return to duty faster and improves their cognitive and physical function. The research is conducted in a military setting and involves comparing current standard care with the new active rehab method. The study involves two groups of soldiers stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, who have had an mTBI within the past two weeks. One group receives the current progressive return to activity PRA care, while the other group follows the Active Rehab protocol, which includes personalized activities such as low-intensity aerobic exercise, cognitive tasks, balance training, and visualvestibular exercises. This rehab is progressed based on symptoms and duty needs over five phases, aiming to accelerate safe recovery. The intervention is delivered by trained providers, and outcomes from both groups are compared. Participants will be assessed at initial intake, two weeks post-enrollment, when asymptomatic, and upon clearance to return to full duty. Evaluations include military performance, heart rate variability, cognitive tests, coordination, symptom inventories, and quality of life measures. The study will follow participants for up to about a year to track recovery progress. Data collected will help develop a clinical algorithm to guide future active rehab for military personnel after mTBI.

A Pragmatic Rehabilitation Intervention: The Active Rehab Study