Published on: 17-Nov-2025
In the world of sports medicine, we’ve long understood that movement benefits the body—but neuroscience is increasingly showing that it also supercharges the brain. Recent research reveals that the hours following a learning experience are critical for what’s called memory consolidation—the process by which new information becomes stable, long-term knowledge. Without reinforcement, up to 50% of newly learned information can vanish from memory within 24 hours.
Fortunately, a simple, evidence-based strategy may help prevent that loss: move your body.
Exercise Improves Recall
A 2024 study published in Nature Scientific Reports found that just 20 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise—such as brisk walking or stationary cycling—immediately after a learning session led to significantly better memory recall the following day. Participants who exercised retained markedly more information than those who remained sedentary after studying.
Why does this happen? The answer lies in the brain’s chemistry and blood flow. Exercise increases circulation to the hippocampus—the region responsible for encoding and storing new memories. This surge of oxygen and nutrients helps the hippocampus consolidate fragile, short-term memory traces into more durable networks. At the same time, physical activity triggers the release of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), a powerful protein that supports neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to form and strengthen new neural connections.
Think of BDNF as fertilizer for the brain: it helps neurons grow, communicate, and adapt. When you move, you’re essentially telling your brain, “Keep this information—it’s important.”
Why It Matters?
This growing body of evidence has important implications not only for students and professionals but also for clinicians and athletes. In sports medicine, where learning new movement patterns, strategies, or rehabilitation exercises is constant, timing physical activity around instruction could meaningfully enhance outcomes.
For example, an athlete recovering from ACL reconstruction might benefit from performing light cycling or brisk walking soon after a physical therapy session to reinforce new motor learning. Similarly, coaches could encourage players to engage in brief aerobic activity after reviewing plays or watching film to strengthen memory retention.
The findings also challenge the traditional separation of cognitive and physical training. Movement isn’t merely a break from mental effort—it’s part of the learning process itself.
The best part? The required “dose” of exercise is modest. The 2024 study found that just one 20-minute bout of moderate-intensity activity—where heart rate and breathing increase but conversation remains possible—was enough to produce a measurable difference in memory performance. There’s no need for exhaustive workouts or specialized equipment.
Timing is Also Important
Timing, it turns out, also matters. Not all memories consolidate in the same way, and the ideal window for exercise depends on what you’re trying to learn. Declarative memories—facts, concepts, and information—appear to benefit most when exercise is delayed by a few hours after learning.
A 2016 study published in Current Biology found that participants who engaged in moderate-intensity cycling four hours after studying retained more information than those who exercised immediately or not at all. In contrast, motor skills and muscle memory seem to respond best to immediate post-learning exercise. Research in Neurobiology of Learning and Memory demonstrated that exercising right after practicing a new motor task significantly enhanced motor memory consolidation. For clinicians, coaches, and rehab specialists, this means timing post-session activity strategically could optimize both cognitive and physical learning outcomes.
Final Thoughts
As researchers continue to uncover the intimate connection between the brain and body, the takeaway for sports medicine is clear: learning shouldn’t end when the lesson does. Whether in the classroom, clinic, or on the field, pairing new knowledge with movement could be the key to turning short-term gains into long-term mastery.
So next time you finish teaching—or learning—something new, don’t sit still. Take a walk. Hop on a bike. Move to remember.
References:
van Dongen, E. V., Kersten, I. H., Wagner, I. C., Morris, R. G. M., & Fernández, G. (2024). Post-learning exercise enhances memory consolidation via increased hippocampal activity and BDNF release. Nature Scientific Reports.
Roig, M., Skriver, K., Lundbye-Jensen, J., Kiens, B., & Nielsen, J. B. (2012). A single bout of exercise improves motor memory. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 95(2), 196–203.van Dongen, E. V., Kersten, I. H., Wagner, I. C., Morris, R. G. M., & Fernández, G. (2016). Timing of acute exercise during memory consolidation: A randomized controlled trial.Current Biology, 26(14), 1912–1917. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2016.05.065
The post Move It or Lose It: How Movement Aids Retention appeared first on Sports Medicine Weekly By Dr. Brian Cole.