Association of sports and physical activity with mild traumatic brain injury and behavioral and neurocognitive function.

BACKGROUND

Sports and physical activity (sports/PA) participation benefits children psychologically but may be associated with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). We examined associations between individual sports/PA and mTBI, and whether participation is associated with physical, behavioral/emotional, and neurocognitive outcomes among children aged 9-10.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using baseline data from 11,878 children enrolled in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. The primary outcome was lifetime mTBI. The exposure was participation in individual sports/PA. Secondary outcomes included physical health, behavioral/emotional problems, and neurocognitive performance.

RESULTS

Children who participated in climbing, adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.677 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.079, 2.506), and/or soccer, aOR = 1.366 (1.112, 1.680), had higher odds of mTBI than those who did not. The odds of mTBI were lower among children who participated in yoga versus those who did not, with aOR = 0.425 (0.149, 0.947). There was a significant sports/PA-by-mTBI interaction on behavioral/emotional scores, indicating that sports/PA participation was associated with attenuated behavioral problems among children with mTBI.

CONCLUSION

Participation in soccer and/or climbing showed positive associations with mTBI, while participation in yoga showed a negative association. Sports/PA participation was related to better behavioral/emotional and neurocognitive functioning, regardless of children's injury history.