Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2026 Jun 11. doi: 10.1097/PHM.0000000000003064. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of an individualized multidisciplinary rehabilitation program for treating individuals with persistent post-concussive symptoms (PPCS), and identify initial symptoms which predict overall symptom burden after rehabilitation.
DESIGN: This retrospective cohort study employed routine assessment data from the Epworth HealthCare Rehabilitation Concussion Clinic. Patients with PPCS (n=528) participated in an individualized outpatient rehabilitation program, and self-reported symptoms and activity levels (using the Oregon Post-Concussion Symptom Checklist) on clinic admission and discharge. Summed checklist scores produced four subscale scores (physical, thinking, emotional and sleep) and a total score.
RESULTS: On Clinic admission, patients self-reported a mean of 10.9 symptoms (SD: 6.0). Fatigue, cognitive impairments and headache were common. There was a statistically significant mean decrease in checklist scores (symptom burden) after rehabilitation (P=<0.001). Patients’ mean daily activity levels also significantly increased between clinic admission (43.1%) and discharge (73.9%) (mean difference: 30.8%, 95% CI: 28.2-33.5, P=<.001). A subset of somatic and vestibular-ocular symptoms cumulatively predicted 31.1% of the total variance in symptom burden on clinic discharge.
CONCLUSION: This study suggested that a multidisciplinary rehabilitation model was effective for treating PPCS. A focus should be on early, tailored intervention to moderate the initial symptom burden and improve patient prognosis.
PMID:42296468 | DOI:10.1097/PHM.0000000000003064
