Moderate screen time during the first three days after a concussion leads to faster recovery, with an average of 141 minutes of daily use leading to 35% faster resolution of symptoms, an online study of 80 teens with concussions found. British Journal of Sports Medicine.
The findings suggest that recovery appears to be slower both above and below this level, leading the researchers to conclude that using it at balanced levels may be more effective than avoiding it completely.
Prolonged or intensive use of smartphones, computers/tablets, TV viewing, and gaming can cause eye strain, cognitive overload, and sleep disturbances, which can worsen concussion symptoms, researchers say.
And the limited research published suggests that avoiding screen time for the first 48 hours may help shorten the recovery period by several days. However, he added that these studies rely on self-report and tend not to differentiate between screen types.
To provide more objective and detailed details about the effects of screen time on recovery, researchers analyzed data from a study of 80 concussed 11- to 17-year-olds enrolled within 72 hours of injury.
The teens were monitored until their symptoms resolved or for 45 days, whichever came first. Symptom resolution was determined from the Post-Concussion Symptom Scale survey completed daily and confirmed by a certified athletic trainer or physician.
Cognitive activity during the first 7 days after injury was monitored using a wearable camera that automatically took high-resolution images every 30 seconds. Cognitive activities include listening to music, watching TV, texting, using a computer/tablet, playing games, socializing, studying, driving, etc.
In the current study, researchers focused on four types of screen time activities. watching TV; using computer/tablet; Games, including videos and handheld devices.
Average screen time increased proportionally with symptom severity. During the first week after injury, he averaged 358.4 minutes/day. Smartphone use was the most common (224.4 minutes/day), followed by TV viewing (203.5 minutes/day), computer/tablet use (112.8 minutes/day), and gaming (59.7 minutes/day).
After adjusting for potentially influencing factors, we found that an average of 141 minutes/day of screen time during the first three days after a concussion was associated with 35% faster symptom resolution than an average of 260 minutes/day.
Further exploratory analysis showed that people who spent between 120 and 240 minutes a day looking at screens experienced faster symptom relief than those who spent less than 120 minutes or more than 240 minutes a day.
Specifically, symptoms were resolved more than twice as quickly in teens who spent between 120 and 240 minutes of screen time per day compared to those with less than 120 minutes of screen time per day, and 1.5 times faster in those with more than 240 minutes of screen time per day.
When evaluated by screen type, teens who used their smartphones for an average of 120 to 240 minutes a day experienced symptom resolution more than twice as quickly as those who used their smartphones for less than 120 minutes or more than 240 minutes a day.
Similarly, people who watched 60 to 120 minutes of television per day recovered from symptoms three times faster than those who watched 120 minutes or more per day.
However, computer/tablet use and gaming were not significantly associated with faster recovery.
Because this is an observational study, firm conclusions about cause and effect cannot be drawn, and the researchers also highlight various limitations to their findings.
For example, the sample size was small and things like screen time, screen brightness, resolution, color settings, use of blue light-blocking glasses, and participants’ cognitive engagement were not measured, all of which could influence recovery.
Screen use during school hours was also not recorded, and while total daily screen time was measured, its timing was not.
“Our findings add to the limited evidence on screen time and recovery from acute concussion in youth, but standardized definitions, uniform measurements, and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are needed. Further research should also examine the context and content of screen use to better understand its impact on concussion recovery in youth,” the researchers emphasize.
But they still concluded that “rather than advising complete screen avoidance, clinicians may consider recommending a daily screen time goal of approximately 141 minutes to support recovery.”
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Reference magazines:
design. , Others. (2026). Duration and type of postconcussion screen time and association with symptom resolution in adolescents aged 11 to 17 years. British Journal of Sports Medicine. DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2025-110310. https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2026/06/04/bjsports-2025-110310
