When someone gets a concussion, their eyes sometimes have trouble focusing up close. Researchers tested whether a simple exercise using a string with beads (called Brock string therapy) could help fix this problem. They compared 50 young people who did this exercise twice a day for about a week to those who just rested and took care of themselves. The group doing the eye exercise improved much more than the rest group. This finding suggests that this cheap, easy exercise done right after a concussion might help people see better again faster.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Does a simple eye exercise using a string with beads help fix focusing problems that happen after a concussion?
  • Who participated: 50 young people aged 11-30 years old who had a concussion within the past 10 days. About 40% were female, and most got their concussions from sports.
  • Key finding: Young people who did the Brock string exercise twice a day for 1-2 weeks improved their eye focusing ability much more (about 9 centimeters of improvement) compared to those who just rested and took care of themselves.
  • What it means for you: If you have trouble focusing your eyes after a concussion, this simple, free exercise might help you recover faster. However, you should still talk to a doctor before starting any new treatment after a head injury.

The Research Details

This was a carefully designed experiment where researchers split 50 young people into two groups right after they had a concussion. One group did a special eye exercise called Brock string therapy, which involves looking at beads on a string held about 10 feet away. They did this exercise 5 times, twice per day for 1-2 weeks. The other group just followed normal recovery advice like taking breaks from screens, getting good sleep, staying hydrated, and eating well.

The researchers measured how well each person’s eyes could focus up close before and after the treatment period. They also asked people about other symptoms like neck pain. Because this was a “single-blind” study, the people being tested didn’t know which group was supposed to be better, which helps prevent bias in the results.

This type of study design is considered very strong evidence because it randomly assigns people to groups and compares them directly, which helps prove that any differences are actually caused by the treatment and not just chance.

After a concussion, many young people have trouble with their eyes focusing up close, which can make reading and schoolwork harder. Finding a simple, inexpensive treatment that works early on could help people recover faster and get back to normal activities sooner. This study design is important because it actually tests whether the exercise works better than just waiting and resting.

This study has several strengths: it randomly assigned people to groups (which is the gold standard), it had a control group to compare against, and it measured specific eye-focusing distances rather than just asking people how they felt. However, the study only included 50 people, which is a relatively small number. The study also only followed people for 1-2 weeks, so we don’t know if the benefits last longer. Additionally, most participants were from sports-related concussions, so results might be different for other types of head injuries.

What the Results Show

The main finding was that the Brock string exercise group improved their eye-focusing ability much more than the rest group. Specifically, the exercise group’s eyes could focus about 9 centimeters closer than before (which is a big improvement), while the rest group barely improved at all. This difference was statistically significant, meaning it’s very unlikely to have happened by chance.

The exercise group also reported better improvement in neck-related symptoms on a symptom checklist compared to the rest group. This makes sense because eye-focusing problems and neck tension are often connected after a concussion.

Both groups started with similar problems and similar ages, so the differences in improvement were likely due to the exercise itself. The exercise is simple enough that young people could do it at home without special equipment or expensive visits to doctors.

Beyond the main eye-focusing measurement, the study looked at other symptoms using a concussion symptom checklist. The exercise group showed greater improvement in neck symptoms specifically, suggesting the exercise might help with multiple problems at once. The researchers didn’t find major differences in other symptom categories, but the study was only designed to look closely at eye-focusing problems.

This is one of the first studies to test Brock string therapy specifically for concussion-related eye-focusing problems in young people. Previous research has shown that eye-focusing problems are common after concussions and can slow recovery, but there hasn’t been much evidence about what actually fixes them. This study fills that gap by showing that a simple exercise might work better than just resting.

The study only included 50 people, which is relatively small. A larger study would give more confidence in the results. The study only followed people for 1-2 weeks, so we don’t know if the improvements last longer or if people keep improving. Most participants had sports-related concussions, so the results might be different for people with other types of head injuries. The study didn’t look at whether people actually did the exercises correctly or how many times they actually did them, which could affect the results. Finally, the researchers couldn’t completely hide which treatment people were getting, which might have influenced how people reported their symptoms.

The Bottom Line

If you have eye-focusing problems after a concussion, the Brock string exercise appears to be worth trying under medical supervision. The exercise is simple, free, and can be done at home. Do the exercise 5 times, twice per day, using a string about 10 feet long with three colored beads on it. However, always talk to your doctor or eye specialist before starting this or any other treatment after a head injury. This evidence is moderately strong because it comes from a well-designed study, but more research with larger groups would make the recommendation even stronger.

This research is most relevant for young people (ages 11-30) who have had a recent concussion and are experiencing eye-focusing problems. It’s especially useful for athletes and active young people who want to recover quickly. Parents, coaches, and school nurses should also know about this option. However, if your eye problems started more than 10 days after your concussion, this specific study doesn’t tell us if the exercise will still help. People with other types of eye problems (not related to concussion) should talk to an eye doctor before trying this.

Based on this study, you might see improvement in your eye-focusing ability within 1-2 weeks of starting the exercise. However, everyone recovers at different speeds, and some people might improve faster or slower. You should notice changes within the first week if the exercise is going to help you. If you don’t see any improvement after 2 weeks, talk to your doctor about other options.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track your eye-focusing distance daily by measuring how close you can hold a finger to your nose before your vision blurs (or use the Brock string and measure the distance). Record this measurement each morning and evening to see if it’s improving. You can also track how long you can read or use screens without discomfort.
  • Set a daily reminder for your two exercise sessions (morning and evening). Use the app to log each time you complete your 5 repetitions of the Brock string exercise. You can also use the app to track other recovery habits like sleep hours, water intake, and screen breaks to support overall concussion recovery.
  • Create a simple chart in the app showing your daily eye-focusing measurements over the 1-2 week period. Compare your starting measurement to your ending measurement to see your total improvement. Also track any changes in related symptoms like neck pain or headaches. Share this data with your doctor at follow-up appointments to show your progress.

This research describes a specific treatment for eye-focusing problems after concussion in young people. It should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult with a doctor, neurologist, or eye specialist before starting any new treatment after a head injury. This study involved people aged 11-30 within 10 days of concussion; results may not apply to other age groups or different timeframes after injury. If you experience severe vision changes, persistent headaches, or worsening symptoms, seek immediate medical attention. Individual results may vary, and this exercise may not be appropriate for everyone.