UB Researchers Changing the Future of Concussion Care

As global attention turns to the Winter Olympics and the recent Super Bowl, concussion experts at the University at Buffalo are highlighting how decades of research have reshaped concussion care worldwide.

The latest episode of the UB Medicine Podcast features John J. Leddy, clinical professor of orthopaedics and director of the Concussion Management and Research Center, and M. Nadir Haider, assistant professor of orthopaedics, discussing advances in treatment, prevention, and future research.

For more than 20 years, Leddy and colleagues have studied how prescribed aerobic exercise can speed concussion recovery. Their work led to the Buffalo Concussion Treadmill Test, now included in international concussion guidelines. Leddy explained how the approach evolved:

“We developed a treadmill test that we put the patient on and we took them up to the point where their symptoms went up more than mildly… and lo and behold, we found that the athletes who did that versus those who didn’t got better faster.”

Leddy also emphasized what parents should watch for, including headaches, dizziness, balance problems, blurred vision, and slowed thinking.

“If you think your kid is different for some reason, even if they are denying it, take them out of that sport or activity,” he said, adding, “They don’t have to be knocked out to have a concussion. In fact, most kids are not.”

Haider has expanded recovery methods for patients who cannot use treadmills, including bike-based testing and the equipment-free “March in Place” test for underserved areas.

Looking ahead, researchers are working to identify objective biomarkers to determine when the brain has fully recovered.

“Sometimes that’s a tough decision for a clinician to make,” Leddy said. Haider added that improving affordable diagnostic methods is essential, noting, “Research has to focus on identifying cheaper alternatives to rule out more moderate forms of brain injuries.”

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