Single-Task and Dual-Task Tandem Gait Performance Across Clinical Concussion Milestones in Collegiate Student-Athletes

Overview

Journal Clin J Sport Med

Specialty Orthopedics

Date 2020 Aug 28

PMID 32852299

Citations 6

Authors

Jessie R Oldham

David R Howell

Christopher A Knight

Jeremy R Crenshaw

Thomas A Buckley

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: To determine the length of time after concussion that impaired tandem gait performance is observed.

Design: Clinical measurement, prospective longitudinal.

Setting: NCAA collegiate athletic facility.

Participants: Eighty-eight concussed NCAA Division I student-athletes and 30 healthy controls.

Independent Variables: Group (concussion/control) and time (Baseline, Acute, Asymptomatic, and RTP).

Main Outcome Measures: Participants completed 4 single-task and dual-task tandem gait trials. The concussion group completed tests at the following time points: preseason (Baseline), within 48 hours after concussion (Acute), on the day symptoms were no longer reported (Asymptomatic), and when cleared to return to sports (RTP). Controls completed the same protocol at similar intervals. The dual-task trials involved minimental style cognitive questions answered simultaneously during tandem gait. We analyzed the best time of the 4 trials, comparing groups with a linear mixed model.

Results: Acutely after concussion, the concussion group performed single-task tandem gait slower (worse) than controls (concussion: 11.36 ± 2.43 seconds, controls: 9.07 ± 1.78 seconds, P < 0.001). The concussion group remained significantly slower than controls (9.95 ± 2.21 vs 8.89 ± 1.65 seconds, P = 0.03) at Asymptomatic day but not RTP. There were significant group (P < 0.001) and time (P < 0.001) effects for dual-task tandem gait. The groups were not significantly different at baseline for single-task (P = 0.95) or dual-task (P = 0.22) tandem gait.

Conclusions: Our results indicate that tandem gait performance is significantly impaired acutely after concussion, compared with both preseason measures and controls. Postural control impairments were not present when the student-athletes were cleared for RTP. This information can assist clinicians when assessing postural control and determining recovery after a concussive injury.

Citing Articles

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Altered neural recruitment despite dual task performance recovery in athletes with repeat concussion.

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Instrumented Static and Reactive Balance in Collegiate Athletes: Normative Values and Minimal Detectable Change.

Petersell T, Quammen D, Crofts R, Morris A, Fino N, Jensen C J Athl Train. 2023; 59(6):608-616.

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