Concussion Treatment Protocol Utilizing Brainwave Entrainment with the BrainTap headset & Compression Therapy with the NormaTec Pulse 2.0

Study conducted by Dr. Arkfeld at the Gaylord High School in Gaylord, MI, United States. 2020-2021.

Title:

Concussion Treatment Protocol Utilizing Brainwave Entrainment with the BrainTap headset & Compression Therapy with the NormaTec Pulse 2.0.

Authors:

Arkfeld T.1, Cidral-Filho, F.J.2; Porter, P.1

1. Postgraduate Program in Integrative Medicine. Quantum University. Honolulu, HI, USA.

Laboratory of Experimental Neuroscience (LANEX) – Health Sciences Post-Graduation Program – University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNISUL), Brazil.

Objective:

Evaluate the effect of Brainwave Entrainment (BWE) with the BrainTap headset and compression therapy (CT) with the NormaTec Pulse 2.0 Legs device as adjuvant to the treatment of sports-related concussion in high school athletes from boys and girls soccer, boys and girls basketball, girls softball, football, and cheerleaders.

Methods:

Control group patients (n=6) who sustained a sports-related concussion and were under care for concussion-related symptoms were treated with low force chiropractic manipulations, electrical muscle stimulation, and neuromuscular reeducation exercises using the oscillating technique for isometric stabilization tools. During the first 10 days of intervention patients were seen daily, then the frequency was reduced to 3 times per week until release from active care (which varied based on the individual patient’s response to care). BWE+CT group (n=10) received same interventions as the Control group along with BWE with the BrainTap Headset in combination with CT with the NormaTec Pulse 2.0 Legs device. In the first 10 days of intervention BWE sessions consisted of Sensorimotor Rhythm (SMR) recordings, either 10 or 20 minutes in duration. From the 10th day onwards the “Stress Relief” series in the Braintap App were used. All BWE sessions were conducted in conjunction with CT with the NormaTec Pulse 2.0 Legs device. One year after the interventions ceased and the patients had been released from care, they were asked to complete a Post-Concussion Assessment on the lingering effects they were still experiencing.

Results:

BWE+CT group reported less severe symptoms in all items, with a reduction from 30 to 90% in relation to Control group. Statistically significant differences between the groups were found in the following items: neck pain (p<0.05), dizziness (p<0.05), balance problems (p<0.01), sensitivity to noise (p<0.05), fatigue or low energy (p<0.01), feeling more emotional (p<0.05), and irritability (p<0.05) (Figures 1-4).

Conclusion:

The combination of Brainwave Entrainment (BWE) with the BrainTap headset and compression therapy (CT) with NormaTec Pulse 2.0 Legs device effectively reduced the long-lasting or lingering symptoms of sports-related concussion in high school athletes from boys and girls soccer, boys and girls basketball, girls softball, football, and cheerleaders in comparison to Control group interventions. Better results were seen more than a year after the interventions.