Exercise may be the key to faster concussion recovery for soldiers

NCT ID NCT05498038

Symptom relief Sponsor: State University of New York at Buffalo Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study tests whether starting personalized aerobic exercise soon after a concussion helps active-duty military members recover faster and avoid long-term symptoms. About 168 participants will either do daily exercise plus standard care or standard care alone. The goal is to see if exercise can speed return to duty and reduce persistent problems.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: aerobic exercise
What this could lead to: If it works, this could provide a safe, drug-free way to speed concussion recovery and reduce persistent symptoms in military personnel.
What could go wrong: This is a Phase 3 trial, but exercise may not help everyone, and results in military populations may not apply to civilians. Some participants may not improve or could worsen.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 168 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Aug 2024

Expected to finish

Sep 2026

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 to 40 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria (Participants): For the CSM Group: * Active-duty service member * Aged 18-40 years * Injury occurred within 9 days of injury * Diagnosed with concussion by an experienced clinician using standard international criteria For the HC Group: * Active-duty service member * Ages 18-40 Exclusion Criteria (Participants): For the CSM group: * Moderate or severe TBI as indicated by a GCS score \<13, lesion on CT/MRI, and/or focal neurologic sign consistent with intracerebral lesion * Injury involving loss of consciousness for \>30 minutes or post-traumatic amnesia \>24 hours * Inability to exercise because of lower-extremity orthopedic injury, clinically significant vestibular or visual dysfunction, or increased cardiac risk * Pre-existing conditions that prevent participation in active testing and/or rehabilitation * Active substance abuse/dependence * Unwillingness to perform intervention * Limited English proficiency * Confirmed pregnancy For the HC group: * Has lingering symptoms from a previous concussion or has recovered from a concussion less than 1-month ago * On a limited profile or "chit" for light duty * Active substance abuse/dependence * Unwilling to perform intervention * Limited English proficiency * Confirmed pregnancy Inclusion Criteria (Providers): * Active duty * Currently active clinician (MD, DO, PT, ATC, OT) involved in concussion management beyond initial emergent diagnosis * Willing to participate * Able to be contacted by telephone or Zoom Exclusion Criteria (Providers): * Not active duty * Not currently an active clinician (MD, DO, PT, ATC, OT) involved in concussion management * Only involved in concussion management at emergent timepoint * Unwilling to participate * Unable to be contacted by telephone or Zoom

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Brain Concussion traumatic brain injury

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Brain concussion

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

The places running it

2 sites. The list below names each one and where it is.
The official record

ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

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A doctor treating you

A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

Exercise may be the key to faster concussion recovery for soldiers

What the study statuses mean