Post-Concussion Musculoskeletal Injury Risks

Description

Musculoskeletal injuries (MSKI) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) are the signature injuries of the ongoing military conflicts. MSKI affect 800,000 Service Members annually and TBI have impacted more than 350,000 in the past 19 years and account for 22% of all combat casualties. Concussion, a mild form of TBI, increases MSKI risk in physically active individuals, including Service Members. The overall goal of the study is to identify the neuromuscular control mechanisms that increase MSKI risk following concussion. It is hypothesized that concussed individuals will display abnormal neuromuscular function that increases MSKI risk, as compared to non-concussed controls. The study will employ a multi-center, prospective, case-matched control observational study to identify the differences in neuromuscular function following concussion that may contribute to increased MSKI risk. Once the neuromuscular control mechanisms that increase MSKI risk following concussion are identified, targeted risk mitigation strategies can be developed to reduce MSKI risk.

Conditions

Musculoskeletal Injury

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Study Overview

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Study Details

Study overview

Musculoskeletal injuries (MSKI) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) are the signature injuries of the ongoing military conflicts. MSKI affect 800,000 Service Members annually and TBI have impacted more than 350,000 in the past 19 years and account for 22% of all combat casualties. Concussion, a mild form of TBI, increases MSKI risk in physically active individuals, including Service Members. The overall goal of the study is to identify the neuromuscular control mechanisms that increase MSKI risk following concussion. It is hypothesized that concussed individuals will display abnormal neuromuscular function that increases MSKI risk, as compared to non-concussed controls. The study will employ a multi-center, prospective, case-matched control observational study to identify the differences in neuromuscular function following concussion that may contribute to increased MSKI risk. Once the neuromuscular control mechanisms that increase MSKI risk following concussion are identified, targeted risk mitigation strategies can be developed to reduce MSKI risk.

Post-Concussion Neuromuscular Function and Musculoskeletal Injury Risk

Post-Concussion Musculoskeletal Injury Risks

Condition
Musculoskeletal Injury
Intervention / Treatment

-

Contacts and Locations

Athens

University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States, 30602

Bethesda

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20814

Fort Bragg

Womack Army Medical Center, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, United States, 28310

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

For general information about clinical research, read Learn About Studies.

Eligibility Criteria

  • * 18-40 years old.
  • * Self-reported asymptomatic post-concussion following enrollment into the study and monitoring of symptoms by research personnel via daily self-reported symptom questionnaires.
  • * Recruited within 5 days following being diagnosed with a concussion, and at least 72 hours prior to self-reporting as asymptomatic.
  • * Access to a functional email address and the internet for completion of patient reported outcomes (PROs) and musculoskeletal injury measures.
  • * 18-40 years old.
  • * Active duty Service members and physically active civilians.
  • * No self-report history of concussion within the previous 5 years.
  • * No lingering post-concussion signs/symptoms.
  • * Same gender as the matched concussed participant.
  • * Within ±5% of the matched concussed participant's height, weight, and body mass index.
  • * Within ±2 years of age of the matched concussed participant.
  • * Participant in the same physical activities (work, recreational sports, average type \[no impact, low-impact, high-impact\] and duration of physical activity)
  • * Post-Concussion Cohort AND Healthy Non-Concussed Cohort
  • * Unable to read or comprehend the English language.
  • * Admitted to the hospital following concussion.
  • * Sustained a concussion not related to physical activity participation (e.g., blast-related injury, fall from a ladder, motor vehicle accident).
  • * Loss of consciousness longer than 30 minutes.
  • * Alteration in consciousness longer than 24 hours.
  • * Post-traumatic amnesia lasting longer than 1 day.
  • * Glasgow Coma Scale below 13.
  • * Abnormal brain imaging findings.
  • * Sustained a concussion that took longer than 21 days for the individual to report as asymptomatic.
  • * A MSKI within the last 6 months that resulted in altered or missed physical activity for 3 or more consecutive days.
  • * History of MSKI surgery.
  • * Pregnant females (will be eligible for participation in the study once medically cleared to RTD/A by a qualified and licensed healthcare provider following the end of the pregnancy).
  • * Participants will be excluded if they present any known contraindications for electrical stimulation. These contraindications include conditions such as: active deep vein thrombosis/thrombophlebitis, any acute injury with concurrent inflammation, hemorrhagic conditions, impaired circulation, impaired local sensations, presence of infection (osteomyelitis, tuberculosis), malignancy, recently radiated tissue, skin disease/damage and/or at-risk skin.
  • * Present with any implanted pacemaker, electronic device, or plastic/cement material

Ages Eligible for Study

18 Years to 40 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Collaborators and Investigators

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center,

Bradford D Hendershot, PhD, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center

Robert C Lynall, PhD, STUDY_DIRECTOR, University of Georgia

Timothy C Mauntel, PhD, STUDY_DIRECTOR, Womack Army Medical Center

Study Record Dates

2025-12-01