Mobile Dual-Task Brain and Balance Intervention for Concussion Recovery

Summary

This research study examines recovery after a sports-related concussion or mild head injury. Many athletes experience lingering problems with thinking, balance, and mood months after a concussion.

We are testing a new home-based program called BraW-Day™ (Brain \& Walk Exercise Every Day). This 14-day program uses a mobile app on your smartphone and combines simple brain exercises (like counting backwards) with walking exercises. The idea is that doing these tasks together may help your brain and body recover more effectively.

What You'll Do:

* Two in-person visits at UNLV (baseline and after 14 days) for assessments
* Daily 15-minute exercises at home using the BraW-Day app
* Provide a small saliva sample for biomarker testing
* Complete brief questionnaires about your symptoms and health

Potential Benefits:

You may experience improvements in thinking, balance, or mood. Even if you don't benefit directly, your participation will help researchers understand how to better support athletes recovering from concussion.

Who Can Join:

* Ages 18-40
* Had a sports-related concussion or mild head injury within the past 3-12 months
* Have a smartphone and can safely do light walking and simple tasks

This study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov and approved by the UNLV Institutional Review Board to protect your safety and rights.

Conditions

• Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI)
• Sports-related Concussion
• Heart Rate Variability (HRV)
• Walking
• Oculomotor
• Saliva
• Exosomal microRNA
• Cognitive Function

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Home-Based Mobile Dual-Task Intervention (BraW-Day™)

Participants engage in a 14-day home-based mobile dual-task intervention using the Uplode smartphone application. Each daily session lasts 15 minutes and combines two concurrent components: (1) Walking exercises-progressive heel-to-toe walking alternating with figure-8 walking patterns; and (2) Cognitive tasks-five-minute brain exercises (e.g., counting backwards, working memory challenges) performed simultaneously with walking. On Day 8, cognitive task difficulty increases to provide progressive challenge. The app delivers daily reminders, tracks completion, and provides real-time feedback. Optional guided breathing exercises (5-10 minutes) are available for relaxation and sleep support. Participants self-pace the exercises and can pause the app if needed. The intervention is designed to engage multiple neural systems (motor and cognitive) simultaneously to enhance neuroplasticity and facilitate recovery from concussion/mild traumatic brain injury.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Nevada, Las Vegas

  collaborator OTHER

• Hyunhwa Lee

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

NA

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

40 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-05-15

Primary Completion

2027-04-30

Completion

2027-04-30

Countries

• United States

Study Locations