When performance can’t pause: UNM researcher advances concussion care for performing artists

For college students in the performing arts, the show often goes on, even when it shouldn't.

Unlike NCAA student-athletes, who are supported by well-established concussion protocols and clinical care teams, performing arts students frequently navigate head injuries without clear guidance, coordinated support or pathways back to learning and performance. The result can be prolonged recovery, increased risk of reinjury and disruption to both academic and artistic progress.

That gap is exactly what Allyssa Memmini, an assistant professor in the Department of Health, Exercise & Sports Sciences at The University of New Mexico College of Education and Human Sciences, is working to change.

An athletic trainer and concussion researcher, Memmini focuses on how students recover not just physically, but academically, an area she says becomes increasingly unclear at the collegiate level.

"In K-12 settings, there are built-in support systems (parents or guardians, school nurses, pediatricians) who help guide a student's return to learning," Memmini said. "At the college level, especially for students who aren't athletes, that pathway becomes much more ambiguous."

A missing framework

Memmini's early research centered on "return-to-learn" strategies for college students recovering from sport-related concussions. But through collaboration with colleagues in performing arts programs, she quickly identified a critical gap: students in movement-based disciplines such as dance, theater and music faced similar (and sometimes greater) risks, without comparable support systems.

"There really wasn't a protocol specific to performing artists," she said.

With her collaborators, Kristen Schuyten and Paola Savvidou, from the University of Michigan, Memmini led a systematic review that confirmed what many suspected-there was little to no research guiding concussion care for performing arts populations.

That absence of evidence led directly to innovation.

Using a Delphi study design (a method that gathers and refines expert consensus in areas with limited data) Memmini and her colleagues developed one of the first structured, step-by-step concussion management frameworks tailored specifically to performing artists.

Their work, published in Neurology, introduces a "return-to-performance" protocol that mirrors the phased recovery approach long used in athletics.

Returning safely to the stage

The protocol is designed as a progressive, adaptable framework for three groups: dancers, musicians and actors.

It begins with low-impact re-entry, such as observing or lightly marking movements, and gradually advances toward full performance, allowing students to rebuild physical tolerance, cognitive capacity and environmental awareness over time.

The parallels to athletics are intentional.

"Performing artists face many of the same demands as student-athletes. They're working under bright lights, loud environments, complex coordination and often face intense pressure to perform, sometimes even when they're injured."

- Assistant Professor Allyssa Memmini

Without structured guidance, that pressure could lead students to return too soon, increasing the likelihood of prolonged symptoms or more severe injury.

"The biggest concern is making sure they can safely return to performance, not only to protect themselves, but also the people around them," she said.

From research to real-world impact

The next phase of Memmini's work focuses on implementation, understanding how performing arts programs can realistically adopt and apply the protocol.

Through interviews, surveys and collaboration with faculty and students, she aims to identify barriers and refine the framework to ensure it is both accessible and effective.

The goal is not a rigid mandate, but a usable starting point.

"This is a framework, not the end-all solution," Memmini said. "It gives programs a place to begin, especially when they may not have clinical expertise in concussion management among performing arts groups."

In a state like New Mexico, rich in artistic and cultural traditions and vibrant performing arts communities, the potential reach of this work extends far beyond campus.

Expanding what athletic training can be

At UNM, Memmini's research is also shaping how students understand the field of athletic training itself.

Graduate students in the Master of Science in Athletic Training program have opportunities to engage directly in research under the guidance of faculty advisors.

"Athletic training is an excellent career choice for students who want to work with physically active patient populations. The profession is continuing to grow beyond traditional clinical sites like secondary schools, colleges or professional sports, with emerging opportunities in the U.S. military, performing arts and industrial or occupational settings."

- Assistant Professor Allyssa Memmini

At UNM, students in the Master of Science in Athletic Training program have opportunities to engage directly in this expanding field by pursuing thesis research, collaborating with faculty and contributing to projects that are helping define the future of the profession.

A collaborative, statewide impact

For Fabiano Amorim, chair of the Department of Health, Exercise & Sports Sciences, Memmini's work reflects the department's broader commitment to applied, community-centered research.

"Dr. Memmini's research addresses a critical gap at the intersection of health, performance and education," Amorim said. "By developing practical, evidence-informed strategies for concussion care in performing artists, she is helping extend the reach of athletic training into new and impactful spaces, both here in New Mexico and beyond."

That reach is only expected to grow as the research continues to evolve.

Moving forward

As Memmini advances her work, she hopes to build greater awareness, expand educational resources and contribute to a future where all students, regardless of discipline, have access to safe, informed recovery pathways.

For Dean Kris Goodrich, the work represents the kind of innovation that defines the College of Education and Human Sciences. "At COEHS, we are committed to advancing research that meets people where they are-in classrooms, communities and across disciplines," Goodrich said. "Dr. Memmini's work exemplifies how we keep New Mexico moving, growing and learning by developing solutions that support the health, success and futures of our students."