Brian Vernau, MD, FAAP, CAQSM
Areas of expertise: Pediatric and adolescent injuries and injury prevention, Concussions, Overuse injuries, Medical issues in athletes, Exercise intolerance, Exercise in chronic illness, Lacrosse athletes
Locations: Specialty Care, King of Prussia, Specialty Care & Surgery Center, Brandywine Valley
About Brian Vernau, MD, FAAP, CAQSM
Brian Vernau, MD, FAAP, CAQSM, is a pediatric sports medicine specialist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) in the Orthopedic Center and the Sports Medicine and Performance Center.
Dr. Vernau specializes in treating sprains, strains, concussions and overuse injuries in youth athletes. He focuses on movement patterns and injury prevention to keep athletes on the field in the future.
Dr. Vernau treats athletes with chronic medical conditions that may affect their athletic performance. He has a special interest in athletes with medical conditions such as difficulty breathing (exercise induced asthma, vocal cord dysfunction), colds, flu, and other illnesses, abdominal pain or reflux, hemophilia, cancer survivors, and athletic skin conditions. Exercise is medicine, even if you have a history of hemophilia, cancer, sickle cell disease, lung disease, gastrointestinal issues, or skin conditions! Dr. Vernau enjoys helping these athletes find activities that are safe to participate in, given their medical condition.
Dr. Vernau is the team physician at Penn State Brandywine, Kennett High School, and NXT Lacrosse Club. He also provides medical coverage at lacrosse and soccer tournaments throughout the Philadelphia region year-round.
He works primarily in Glen Mills, PA, at the CHOP Specialty Care & Surgery Center, Brandywine Valley, and at the Specialty Care & Surgery Center, King of Prussia.
Dr. Vernau completed his undergraduate studies and medical degree at Penn State University. He completed his pediatric residency at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, where he received the Arnold Gold Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Award. He completed his fellowship training in sports medicine at CHOP.
He lectures extensively throughout the region about medical conditions in athletes, concussions, and injury prevention in youth sports. He is active in multiple national societies for sports medicine and research: Pediatric Research in Sports Medicine, American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness, and the American College of Sports Medicine. He is active in the community coaching youth lacrosse, flag football, and baseball. He is an avid inline skater and volleyball player and a novice runner.
Titles
Pediatric Sports Medicine Specialist
Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
Certifications
Pediatrics – American Board of Pediatrics
Sports Medicine – American Board of Pediatrics
Awards and Honors
2011, Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Award, Arnold P. Gold Foundation
Leadership and Memberships
Memberships in Professional Organizations
2021-present, Pediatric Research in Sports Medicine
2012-present, American Medical Society for Sports Medicine
- 2021-present, Reviewer, Case Reviews
2011-present, American College of Sports Medicine
2009-present, American Academy of Pediatrics
- Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness)
Editorial and Academic Positions
Editorial Positions
2022-present, Peer Reviewer, Current Sports Medicine Reports
Academic and Institutional Committees
2023-present, Director, Visiting Resident Sports Medicine rotation, Sports Medicine Fellowship
2022-present, Movement is Medicine Quality improvement Team
2021-present, Orthopedics Steering Committee, Epic Electronic Health Record
2021-present, Epic Champion, Orthopedics
2020-present, Program Evaluation Committee, Sports Medicine Fellowship
2020-present, Clinical Competency Committee, Sports Medicine Fellowship
2019-present, Integrative Health Advisory Committee
2018-present, Integrative Oncology Multidisciplinary Team
Education & training
Medical Degree
MD - Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, University Park, PA
Residency
Pediatrics - Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus OH
Fellowship
Pediatric Sports Medicine - The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia PA
Publications
PubMed
Publications
2023
Vernau BT, Haider MN, Fleming A, Leddy JJ, Willer BS, Storey EP, Grady MF, Mannix R, Meehan W, Master CL.: Exercise-Induced Vision Dysfunction Early After Sport-Related Concussion Is Associated With Persistent Postconcussive Symptoms. Clin J Sport Med Mar 2023.
2021
Leddy JJ, Master CL, Mannix R, Wiebe DJ, Grady MF, Meehan WP, Storey EP, Vernau BT, Brown NJ, Hunt D, Mohammed F, Mallon A, Rownd K, Arbogast KB, Cunningham A, Haider MN, Mayer AR, Willer BS.: Early targeted heart rate aerobic exercise versus placebo stretching for sport-related concussion in adolescents: a randomised controlled trial. Lancet Child Adolesc Health 5(11): 792-799, Nov 2021.
2018
Vernau BT, Stephenson DJ. “Delayed Onset Abducens Palsy in a Concussed Child.” Current Sports Medicine Reports. 2018;17(1):20-22.
2015
Vernau BT, Grady MF, Goodman A, Wiebe DJ, Basta L, Park Y, Arbogast KB, Master CL. Oculomotor and Neurocognitive Assessment of Youth Ice Hockey Players: Baseline Associations and Observations After Concussion. Dev Neuropsychol. 2015 Jan;40(1):7-11.
“Just a contusion?” Kidney laceration in a Collegiate Football Player, Published to AAP Sports Medicine Case Studies
Abstracts (includes Posters and Scientific Presentations)
2023
AE Mozel, M Izzetoglu, CL Master, AB Leber, M Grady, BT Vernau, CL Folk: A Multimodal Investigation of Attention in Pediatric Concussion. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society. Cambridge University Press, 29(s1): 168-169, Nov 2023.
Lectures by Invitation
2025
Vernau BT. "Concussion Update 2025" Bryn Mawr Family Medicine Residency Grand Rounds. Apr 2025.
2024
Vernau BT. "Idiopathic Scoliosis: Navigating Bends and Rotational Roots" Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Bone Health Symposium (Regional Audience). Oct 2024.
Vernau BT. "Concussion Update" Main Line Health Grand Rounds (regional audience). Oct 2024.
Vernau BT. "The Irritated Growth Plate" ChristianaCare Pediatric Grand Rounds (Regional Audience). Sept 2024.
Vernau BT. "Minds Matter: Implementation of an acute concussion management plan," Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Virtual (Regional Audience). Jul 2024.
Vernau BT. "Fixed Patellar Instability," Radiology/Orthopedics Joint Grand Rounds, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA (Regional audience). Jan 2024.
2023
Vernau BT. "Osteochondral Lesions of the Talus," Radiology/Orthopedics Joint Grand Rounds, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA (Regional audience). Mar 2023.
Editorials, Reviews, Chapters
2021
Vernau, Brian, Grady, Matthew, Ganley, Theodore: Orthopedics. The Philadelphia Guide: Inpatient Pediatrics 3(5), 2021 Notes: Book Chapter.
2018
Vernau BT, Stephenson DJ.: Delayed Onset Abducens Palsy in a Concussed Child. Curr Sports Med Rep 17(1): 20-22, Jan 2018.