An interventional study of Vestibular Rehabilitation Program and Conventional Post-Concussion Rehabilitation in Concussion Post Syndrome and Concussion, sponsored by Riphah International University. Not yet recruiting at 1 site in Pakistan. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 30 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-07-21.
Sponsored by Riphah International University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of vestibular rehabilitation in improving gait and balance among post-concussion combat athletes aged 18-25 years. Eligible participants diagnosed with mild traumatic brain injury and persistent post-concussion symptoms will be randomly assigned to either a vestibular rehabilitation group or a control group receiving conventional rehabilitation. Gait performance, balance, post-concussion symptom severity, and concussion severity will be assessed using the Timed Tandem Gait (TTG) Test, Balance Error Scoring System (BESS), Sport Concussion Office Assessment Tool 6 (SCOAT6), and Cantu Concussion Grading Scale. Outcome measures will be evaluated at baseline and after the 8-week intervention to determine the effectiveness of vestibular rehabilitation in enhancing functional recovery following concussion.
This randomized controlled trial aims to investigate the effect of vestibular rehabilitation on gait and balance in post-concussion combat athletes. Combat sport athletes, including those participating in boxing, mixed martial arts (MMA), taekwondo, judo, and similar disciplines, are at a heightened risk of sustaining concussions due to repetitive head impacts, rapid directional changes, and falls inherent to their sports. Although most athletes recover within a few weeks, a substantial proportion continue to experience persistent vestibular symptoms such as dizziness, postural instability, impaired gait, and balance deficits, which may adversely affect athletic performance, delay return to sport, and increase the risk of recurrent injury.
Despite growing evidence supporting vestibular rehabilitation in the general post-concussion population, there remains a paucity of sport-specific research focusing on combat athletes, whose functional demands and rehabilitation requirements differ considerably from those of non-athletic populations.
This study will recruit combat athletes aged 18-25 years with at least two years of training experience who have been diagnosed with mild traumatic brain injury within the previous six months and continue to exhibit post-concussion symptoms affecting gait and balance. Eligible participants who have been medically cleared by a physician or neurologist will undergo baseline assessments using the Cantu Concussion Grading Scale and the Sport Concussion Office Assessment Tool 6 (SCOAT6), followed by standardized evaluations of gait and balance.
Participants will then be randomly allocated to either the vestibular rehabilitation group or the control group. The intervention group will receive a structured vestibular rehabilitation program designed to improve vestibulo-ocular function, gaze stabilization, postural control, and balance, while the control group will receive conventional rehabilitation. Outcome measures will be reassessed at Week 8 using the same standardized assessment procedures to determine the effectiveness of the intervention.
It is hypothesized that vestibular rehabilitation will result in significant improvements in gait performance, balance, and post-concussion symptom severity among post-concussion combat athletes.
The findings of this study are expected to provide evidence for the development of targeted, sport-specific rehabilitation protocols, facilitate safer and more efficient return-to-play decisions, reduce the risk of recurrent injury, and contribute to the advancement of concussion management strategies in sports physiotherapy and neurorehabilitation.
141 studies on the registry are indexed under Post-Concussion Syndrome; 34 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 44 is below the median of 52 across 114 interventional studies indexed under Post-Concussion Syndrome.
Browse Post-Concussion Syndrome studies →Riphah International University is the lead sponsor of 2,193 studies on the registry; 650 are open to participants now.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
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You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Participants assigned to this group will receive a structured vestibular rehabilitation program for 8 weeks designed to improve post-concussion vestibular dysfunction. The program includes vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) exercises, gaze stabilization exercises, habituation exercises, balance retraining, postural control exercises, and gait training delivered under the supervision of a physiotherapist in accordance with the study protocol.
Other: Vestibular Rehabilitation Program
Participants assigned to this group will receive conventional post-concussion rehabilitation for 8 weeks, consisting of standard clinical management, education regarding symptom management, symptom-limited activity, graded aerobic exercise, strengthening and conditioning exercises, sport-specific training, and a staged return-to-play progression. Targeted vestibular rehabilitation exercises will not be provided.
Other: Conventional Post-Concussion Rehabilitation
Participants will receive a structured vestibular rehabilitation program consisting of vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) exercises, gaze stabilization exercises, habituation exercises, balance retraining, postural control exercises, and gait training. The intervention will be supervised by a physiotherapist and delivered over 8 weeks according to the study protocol.
Participants will receive conventional post-concussion rehabilitation consisting of education regarding symptom management, symptom-limited activity, graded aerobic exercise, strengthening and conditioning exercises, sport-specific training, and a staged return-to-play progression over 8 weeks. Targeted vestibular rehabilitation exercises will not be included.
Gait Performance Assessed Using the Timed Tandem Gait (TTG) Test
Change in gait performance measured by the Timed Tandem Gait (TTG) Test. The outcome will be reported as the average time (seconds) required to complete the test. Lower completion time indicates better gait performance.
Time frame: Baseline (Week 0) and Week 8 (post-intervention)
Balance Performance Assessed Using the Balance Error Scoring System (BESS)
Change in balance performance measured using the Balance Error Scoring System (BESS). The outcome will be reported as the total number of balance errors during standardized balance tasks. Lower scores indicate better balance performance.
Time frame: Baseline (Week 0) and Week 8 (post-intervention)
Post-Concussion Symptom Severity Assessed Using the Sport Concussion Office Assessment Tool 6 (SCOAT6) Symptom Scale
Change in post-concussion symptom severity measured using the symptom scale component of the Sport Concussion Office Assessment Tool 6 (SCOAT6). The symptom scale includes 22 symptoms, each rated from 0 (none) to 6 (severe), resulting in a total score ranging from 0 to 132. Higher scores indicate greater post-concussion symptom severity.
Time frame: Baseline (Week 0) and Week 8 (post-intervention)
Concussion Severity Classification Assessed Using the Cantu Concussion Grading Scale
Concussion severity will be assessed using the Cantu Concussion Grading Scale, which classifies concussion into Grade 1 (mild), Grade 2 (moderate), and Grade 3 (severe). The scale ranges from Grade 1 to Grade 3, with higher grades indicating greater concussion severity. Participants will be assessed at baseline for study characterization and eligibility.
Time frame: Baseline (Week 0)
Plan to share: No
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