Ann Arbor Times

When athletes with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) sustain concussions, their condition can lead to a prolonged recovery process, according to recent research. The study, published in the Journal of Athletic Training, found that high school athletes with ADHD experienced extended recovery times in returning to learning and sports activities post-concussion. Additionally, the research noted that female athletes and younger individuals showed longer recovery periods.

Steven Broglio, a professor at the University of Michigan and director of the U-M Concussion Center, contributed to a roundtable discussion organized by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association regarding the study. He explained, "The study evaluated the length of recovery among concussed high school student-athletes, finding that those with ADHD had a slightly longer timeline."

Research findings indicate that 4% to 8% of young athletes have ADHD, posing multiple risk factors for protracted concussion recovery. Broglio highlighted, "Athletes with ADHD are more susceptible to multiple concussions, exhibit more severe acute symptoms, and typically have at least one coexisting condition." The study analyzed recovery outcomes from athletes in 60 high schools from 2010 to 2018, involving 553 males and 382 females. It determined that ADHD significantly predicted longer recovery times for returning to learning and sports.

The study revealed, "Athletes with ADHD were about 1.16 times longer to return to learn and 1.17 longer to return to sport. Women took about 1.13 times longer to return to learn and 1.07 times longer to return to sport." Furthermore, younger athletes faced extended recovery periods, with each year of age reducing recovery days by 0.98.

Broglio suggested that athletes with ADHD might be more susceptible to concussions due to attention issues, possibly leading to a failure in adequately preparing for or avoiding head impacts. He emphasized, "Athletic trainers are typically the front line health care providers for active individuals." In response to these findings, they should recognize ADHD as a risk factor for prolonged recovery and adapt personalized strategies to improve outcomes.

Broglio concluded, "Given the significance of sex-based and age-related differences, individualized approaches to concussion management should be prioritized to optimize recovery outcomes."