Boosting Brain and Balance: A Mobile Dual-Task Intervention for Athletes With Concussion and Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI)
Hyunhwa Lee
Summary
This research study examines recovery after a sports-related concussion or mild head injury. Many athletes experience lingering problems with thinking, balance, and mood months after a concussion. We are testing a new home-based program called BraW-Day™ (Brain \& Walk Exercise Every Day). This 14-day program uses a mobile app on your smartphone and combines simple brain exercises (like counting backwards) with walking exercises. The idea is that doing these tasks together may help your brain and body recover more effectively. What You'll Do: * Two in-person visits at UNLV (baseline and after 14 days) for assessments * Daily 15-minute exercises at home using the BraW-Day app * Provide a small saliva sample for biomarker testing * Complete brief questionnaires about your symptoms and health Potential Benefits: You may experience improvements in thinking, balance, or mood. Even if you don't benefit directly, your participation will help researchers understand how to better support athletes recovering from concussion. Who Can Join: * Ages 18-40 * Had a sports-related concussion or mild head injury within the past 3-12 months * Have a smartphone and can safely do light walking and simple tasks This study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov and approved by the UNLV Institutional Review Board to protect your safety and rights.
Description
Background and Rationale: Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and sports-related concussion affect thousands of athletes annually and often result in persistent cognitive, physical, and physiological symptoms that can extend months beyond the initial injury. Current recovery protocols typically focus on single-domain interventions (cognitive training alone or physical rehabilitation alone). Emerging evidence suggests that integrated, dual-task interventions-combining cognitive and physical exercise simultaneously-may enhance neuroplasticity and accelerate functional recovery by engaging multip…