The Temporal Relationship Between Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity and Secondary Conditions During the First Year After Moderate to Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

Abstract

Objective: To determine the cross-sectional and temporal relationships between minutes per week of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) as measured by a wrist-worn accelerometer and secondary conditions in the first year after moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Design: Prospective longitudinal cohort study.

Setting: Four inpatient rehabilitation centers.

Participants: Individuals (N = 180) with moderate-severe TBI enrolled in the TBI Model Systems Study.

Interventions: Participants wore a wrist accelerometer for 7 days immediately post discharge, and for 7 consecutive days at 6- and 12-months post injury.

Main outcome measures: Minutes per week of MVPA from daily averages based on wrist worn accelerometer. Secondary conditions included depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), fatigue (PROMIS Fatigue), Pain (Numeric Rating Scale), Sleep (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), and cognition (Brief Test of Adult Cognition by Telephone).

Results: At baseline, 6 and 12 months, 61%, 70% and 79% of the sample achieved at least 150 minutes per week of MVPA. The correlations between minutes of MVPA between baseline, 6 and 12 months were significant (r = 0.53-0.73), as were secondary conditions over these time points. However, no significant correlations were observed between minutes of MVPA and any secondary outcomes cross-sectionally or longitudinally at any time point.

Conclusions: Given the robust relationships physical activity has with outcomes in the general population, further research is needed to understand the effect of physical activity in individuals with moderate-severe TBI.

Keywords: Accelerometry; Cognitive impairment; Depression; Physical activity; Rehabilitation; Traumatic brain injury.