Association of Simple Step Test With Readiness for Exercise in Youth After Concussion

Objectives: We hypothesized that a submaximal step test would be associated with readiness to commence graded exercise in children and adolescents with concussion. Methods: Children and adolescents aged 8 to 18 years performed standard concussion clinical assessment for vestibular/ocular and balance impairment, and exercise examination utilizing the 3-minute Kasch Pulse Recovery test (KPR) and a symptom-limited graded exercise test (GXT). Outcome measures included activity readiness and symptom exacerbation. Results: Forty-five participants (mean age 13.2 ± 2.1 years, 76% male) had a confirmed concussion (73% sports-related). Some participants required follow-up testing giving 75 clinical presentations. Sensitivity and specificity of the KPR were 100% and 95.7%, respectively. Area under the receiver operating characteristics curve was 0.979. Activity readiness to GXT and KPR was strongly associated (χ2 = 21.672, P
Source: The Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation - Category: Neurology Tags: Focus on Clinical Research and Practice Source Type: research