Academic Adjustments and Concussion Recoveries in NCAA Student-Athletes: a LIMBIC MATARS Investigation
Location
Turner Gymnasium
Access Type
Campus Access Only
Entry Number
3
Start Date
4-5-2023 12:00 PM
End Date
4-5-2023 1:30 PM
College
College of Health Sciences
Department
Athletic Training
Keywords
Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI);exercise prescription; return to learn; return to sport
Abstract
Academic adjustments have been recognized as a key component of a return-to-learn protocol for collegiate athletes diagnosed with sport concussions (SRCs) and have been suggested to facilitate recovery. However; the evidence remains limited on the influence of academic adjustments on recovery following SCs in collegiate athletes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between academic adjustments and recovery from SRCs (in days) in collegiate athletes. Our hypothesis was that those with academic adjustments would recover faster than those without academic adjustments.
A retrospective chart review was performed between 2015 and 2020 at 11 universities who were members of the LIMBIC Military and Tactical Athlete Research Study consortium. Participants were divided into groups based on if they did (n=179 [33.5% female]) or did not (x=126 [36.5%female]) receive academic adjustments.
Mann-Whitney U tests were used to compare time (in days) from the date of each participant’s concussion until (i) participant symptom resolution and (ii) return to sport between groups. All analyses were performed with α=0.05. The number of days between date of injury and self-reported symptom-free between those who did (median=7 [interquartile range =3;14]) and did not have (5 [8;19]) academic adjustments were similar (z=-1.58; p=0.11; r= -0.09). Similarly; no differences were observed between days to return to sport among those who did (12 [3;11]) and did not (12.5[7;19.25]) receive assigned academic adjustments (z= -0.86; p=0.93; r= -.01).
Our data suggest that the prescription of academic adjustments did not influence the recovery trajectories of collegiate athletes diagnosed with SCs. Clinicians and healthcare professionals should assist and support collegiate athletes after SCs on an individual basis; including academic adjustments when appropriate based on patient presentation.
Faculty Mentor(s)
Dr. Thomas G. Bowman
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Academic Adjustments and Concussion Recoveries in NCAA Student-Athletes: a LIMBIC MATARS Investigation
Turner Gymnasium
Academic adjustments have been recognized as a key component of a return-to-learn protocol for collegiate athletes diagnosed with sport concussions (SRCs) and have been suggested to facilitate recovery. However; the evidence remains limited on the influence of academic adjustments on recovery following SCs in collegiate athletes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between academic adjustments and recovery from SRCs (in days) in collegiate athletes. Our hypothesis was that those with academic adjustments would recover faster than those without academic adjustments.
A retrospective chart review was performed between 2015 and 2020 at 11 universities who were members of the LIMBIC Military and Tactical Athlete Research Study consortium. Participants were divided into groups based on if they did (n=179 [33.5% female]) or did not (x=126 [36.5%female]) receive academic adjustments.
Mann-Whitney U tests were used to compare time (in days) from the date of each participant’s concussion until (i) participant symptom resolution and (ii) return to sport between groups. All analyses were performed with α=0.05. The number of days between date of injury and self-reported symptom-free between those who did (median=7 [interquartile range =3;14]) and did not have (5 [8;19]) academic adjustments were similar (z=-1.58; p=0.11; r= -0.09). Similarly; no differences were observed between days to return to sport among those who did (12 [3;11]) and did not (12.5[7;19.25]) receive assigned academic adjustments (z= -0.86; p=0.93; r= -.01).
Our data suggest that the prescription of academic adjustments did not influence the recovery trajectories of collegiate athletes diagnosed with SCs. Clinicians and healthcare professionals should assist and support collegiate athletes after SCs on an individual basis; including academic adjustments when appropriate based on patient presentation.