Researchers at Nationwide Children's Hospital found on June 9 that moderate screen time could be beneficial for concussion recovery among youth. The study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, reported that about 141 minutes of screen exposure daily during the first three days after a concussion was linked to quicker symptom resolution.
"These findings support that moderate screen time – not too little or too much – may support concussion recovery," said lead author Jingzhen Ginger Yang, PhD, MPH, principal investigator in the Center for Injury Research and Policy of the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's. "A median of 141 minutes of screen time each day was associated with a 35% faster recovery, compared to 260 minutes of screen time each day. Youth who use screens for more than four hours per day or less than two hours per day may be at risk for slower concussion symptom resolution."
The research team from Nationwide Children's Center for Injury Research and Policy and division of Sports Medicine evaluated both the duration and type of screen use within the first week following a physician-diagnosed concussion in participants aged 11-17 years. Unlike previous studies relying on self-reported data, this research used wearable devices to objectively measure out-of-school screen usage by type: smartphone, TV, computer/tablet, or gaming.
Results indicated that around two hours per day spent on smartphones and TV were linked to quicker recovery times. In contrast, computer/tablet use and gaming did not show significant associations with faster symptom improvement.
The authors said these findings have important clinical implications: families are encouraged to work closely with their child's care team to create individualized plans tailored to injury severity and ongoing symptoms.
