UB Experts Discuss Concussion Care and Recovery

Faculty members John Leddy and M. Nadir Haider share insights on the latest concussion research and treatment approaches.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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With the Winter Olympics and Super Bowl in the spotlight, UB's concussion experts John Leddy and M. Nadir Haider discuss the university's pioneering work in concussion management and recovery. They detail how their research has changed the standard of care globally, moving from physical activity restrictions to prescribed aerobic exercise to speed recovery. The experts also share what parents should know about concussion symptoms and when to seek medical attention, as well as the latest developments in objective biomarkers and cost-effective methods to rule out more serious brain injuries.

Why it matters

Concussions are a major concern not just for professional athletes, but for anyone who plays sports. UB's concussion experts have been at the forefront of developing evidence-based protocols that are now the international standard, helping to improve outcomes for concussed individuals. Their work highlights the importance of proper diagnosis and treatment, as well as the need for continued research to identify objective markers of recovery and more cost-effective approaches to care.

The details

For over two decades, Leddy and colleagues like Barry Willer have been studying the use of prescribed aerobic exercise to speed recovery in concussed individuals. They developed the Buffalo Concussion Treadmill Test, which assesses a patient's ability to tolerate physical activity after a concussion. Their research showed that individualized exercise starting a few days after the injury provides the best evidence-based care, contrary to the previous standard of physical activity restrictions. This work led to the updated international concussion guidelines published in 2023. More recently, Haider has developed similar recovery regimens using bikes and the March in Place test for patients who cannot use a treadmill, expanding access to the evidence-based approach. The experts are now focused on identifying objective biomarkers to determine when the brain has fully recovered, as well as finding less expensive methods to rule out more serious brain injuries in the ER.

  • The Sixth International Conference on Concussion in Sport, held in Amsterdam in 2022, included the UB team's recommendations for the first time.
  • The updated international concussion guidelines incorporating the UB approach were published in 2023.

The players

John J. Leddy

Clinical professor of orthopaedics and director of the Concussion Management and Research Center at UBMD Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine.

M. Nadir Haider

Assistant professor of orthopaedics at the University at Buffalo.

Barry Willer

Professor emeritus of psychiatry at the University at Buffalo.

Allison Brashear

Vice president for health sciences and dean of the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo.

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What they’re saying

“If you think your kid is different for some reason, even if they are denying it, take them out of that sport or activity and have your pediatrician or family doctor examine them, and if they're complaining of severe headache or if they're vomiting, take them to the ER.”

— John J. Leddy, Clinical professor of orthopaedics (buffalo.edu)

“In cardiac rehabilitation, you identify a heart rate at which you can safely exercise your heart so you don't get angina or a heart attack. 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, took that heart rate, took a percentage of that and gave them that to go home and train at. And lo and behold, we found that the athletes who did that versus those who didn't got better faster.”

— John J. Leddy, Clinical professor of orthopaedics (buffalo.edu)

“In patients with significant balance problems, we said 'OK, instead of the treadmill we can use a bike.' And for people in underserved areas, for example, who don't have access to treadmills or cycle ergometers, we developed the March in Place test, a graded exercise intolerance test that doesn't require exercise equipment.”

— M. Nadir Haider, Assistant professor of orthopaedics (buffalo.edu)

What’s next

UB researchers are investigating the use of salivary biomarkers to more objectively determine when a concussed brain has fully recovered, as current clinical assessments can sometimes miss lingering abnormalities. They are also working to identify cheaper alternatives to expensive emergency room visits just to rule out more serious brain injuries.

The takeaway

The University at Buffalo's pioneering work on concussion treatment and recovery has transformed the global standard of care, moving from physical activity restrictions to individualized prescribed exercise programs that speed healing. Their research highlights the importance of proper diagnosis, treatment, and continued innovation to improve outcomes for those suffering from concussions.