As a doctoral candidate at the University of Michigan’s School of Kinesiology and its Concussion Center, Allyssa Memmini recognized a significant necessity in concussion management.
Through her doctoral research, which centered on creating a university-specific return-to-learn (RTL) protocol, she discovered particular deficiencies in post-concussion management for college-aged individuals, including students from performing arts—a demographic that encounters unique physical and cognitive challenges akin to those experienced by student athletes, yet lacks the same support framework.
A member of Memmini’s initial research group and a continued contributor to her initiatives, Kristen Schuyten occupies a distinctive position between the U-M School of Music, Theatre & Dance, where she oversees risk assessments and tailors exercise prescriptions, and Michigan Medicine, where she fulfills the role of Performing Arts Rehabilitation Program Coordinator. She is also affiliated with the medical team of the U.S. Figure Skating Team.
Schuyten proposed the expansion of Memmini’s previous work to assist this neglected population within the university environment by creating a return-to-performance (RTP) protocol.
While collegiate sports have established return-to-sport (RTS) and RTL protocols in collaboration with organizations such as the National Collegiate Athletic Association, no similar guidelines currently exist for university performing arts students recuperating from concussions.
This gap leaves academic teams, who aren’t obligated to receive concussion training for their roles, without precise guidance for safely reintroducing performing artists after injury. This often results in individuals managing their own recoveries and RTL processes, which can be hazardous if undertaken prematurely.
This stands in contrast to university athletic teams, which the NCAA requires to complete annual concussion training, ensuring they comprehend the experiences of their student-athletes and guarantee their complete recovery before returning to competition.
“Personally, my children are involved in recreational soccer at 8 and 11 years old, and I still sign a form every year discussing concussions, even though at that age they are not even supposed to be heading the ball,” Schuyten remarked.
“We educate these young children, yet we have nothing systematically established for dancers, musical theater, or drama students who engage in lifting, partnering, combat training, handling heavy equipment, or executing stunts. There is a disconnection.”
Another such disconnection exists in the student’s capacity to rest. For a student-athlete, their academic performance is independent of their athletic performance. In contrast, for performing arts students, their education is intertwined with their performance capabilities. Being sidelined due to injury could mean forfeiting their role in a production or incurring financial hardship if a scholarship is contingent on their academic performance. This added pressure may lead them to withhold reporting concussions and continue performing despite their injuries.
“Their ability to engage in their studies is directly linked to their physical and cognitive health,” Schuyten stated. “And if they experience something that impacts multiple bodily systems, like a concussion, they may find participation in various aspects of their education, beyond physical performance, unfeasible while recuperating.”
While student-athletes have access to athletic trainers and medical professionals to guide them through their RTS protocols, performing arts students currently lack a structured pathway that addresses the dual academic and performance challenges of their discipline.
These students also navigate sensory-rich environments: intense stage lighting, loud audio, rapid movements, and high-stakes performances that test balance, coordination, and concentration. Following a concussion, these factors can considerably extend the recovery timeline and delay a safe return to performance.
Now on the faculty at the University of New Mexico, Memmini is dedicated to addressing the absence of research at the intersection of concussions and the performing arts for students; her team identified only two articles that met their research criteria during their systematic review.
She is spearheading efforts to gather essential insights through her grant-supported Delphi study. The Delphi method is a collaborative communication technique employed to attain consensus on intricate issues through multiple rounds of anonymous feedback on a subject.
Memmini’s Delphi study comprises individuals with diverse expertise. Ranging from faculty, academic advisors, and former students who experienced concussions during their performing arts education to researchers, healthcare providers, and other vital collaborators, the team aims to establish optimal practices for a sophisticated RTP protocol.
“Allyssa was among the first to recognize and address the requirements of students and performers to return to the classroom and studio,” expressed Steven Broglio, director of the Michigan Concussion Center and collaborator. “It’s been remarkable to observe the national and international acceptance and implementation of her protocols.”
Memmini, Schuyten, and their team are collaborating closely with various institutions statewide and nationally to accomplish their objective of widespread adoption of these protocols and future initiatives across universities, aiming to create a new industry standard.