The Influence of Aerobic Exercise Therapy on Patient-Reported Outcome Measures Following Concussion: A Scoping Review

TL;DR

This scoping review examines how aerobic exercise therapy affects patient-reported outcomes after concussion and identifies gaps in current research.

Contribution

The study highlights the need for more research on PROMs beyond symptom severity in concussion recovery with aerobic exercise.

Findings

Structured aerobic exercise improves patient-reported symptom severity after concussion.

Few studies have examined the broader impact of aerobic exercise on PROMs following concussion.

Future research should include additional PROMs as common data elements.

Abstract

Background/Objectives: The purpose of this scoping review was to identify the effects of exercise therapy on patient-reported outcome measure(s) (PROM(s)) after concussion, and to highlight the current knowledge gaps in the literature. Methods: A search of EMBASE, MEDLINE, SCOPUS, BIOSIS, and Cochrane Libraries was performed on 1 December 2023 (from database inception) and updated on 19 June 2025 to review the available literature. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) extension for scoping reviews was used to report the scoping review. An online review management system was used to remove duplicates and perform article screening. Results: Following the removal of duplicates, 5434 articles were identified for screening. After applying the inclusion/exclusion criteria, 27 articles remained for data extraction. The available literature has found that applying structured aerobic exercise following concussion can improve patient-reported symptom severity compared with control groups. Conclusions: There is currently a paucity of research reporting on the impact of aerobic exercise therapy following concussion on PROMs aside from patient-reported symptom severity. Additional PROMs recommended as common data elements should be included in future studies investigating the effects of aerobic exercise therapy following concussion.

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