Abstract
<jats:p>Traumatic brain injury in military personnel is frequently accompanied by astheno-vegetative disturbances and alterations in blood pressure regulation, necessitating specific approaches to rehabilitation and the assessment of its outcomes. Aim. To assess the effectiveness of a comprehensive physical therapy program in military personnel with consequences of mild traumatic brain injury based on the changes in ambulatory blood pressure monitoring parameters. Participants and methods. The study involved 96 male military personnel. The comparison group consisted of 33 conditionally healthy servicemen. The main group included 63 patients with consequences of traumatic brain injury, who were divided into two subgroups: the first subgroup received a standard physical therapy program, while the second subgroup underwent a newly developed comprehensive program. The intervention combined outpatient sessions and independent training and included daily sessions for four weeks followed by continued home-based practice. The program structure consisted of a mandatory component (exercises aimed at improving general physical condition, balance, coordination, endurance, and strength) and a variable component focused on restoring occupation-specific functional skills. The intervention included functional training, dual-task cognitive-motor exercises, elements of vestibular and oculomotor rehabilitation, breathing exercises, and progressive muscle relaxation. A visual biofeedback system was used to enhance motor control. Effectiveness was evaluated based on changes in subjective symptoms and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring parameters. Results. Military personnel with consequences of traumatic brain injury demonstrated a high prevalence of astheno-autonomic symptoms and impaired circadian blood pressure profiles, with predominance of non-physiological patterns. Following physical therapy, improvements were observed in both groups; however, more pronounced positive changes were found in the group receiving the comprehensive program. This was reflected in a reduction in the prevalence of pathological blood pressure profiles, an increase in the proportion of the physiological pattern, and a decrease in the severity of astheno-autonomic symptoms. Conclusion. The comprehensive physical therapy program is more effective than standard approaches, contributing to the restoration of blood pressure regulation and improvement of functional status in military personnel after traumatic brain injury.</jats:p>