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

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
Source: Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine - Category: Sports Medicine Tags: Original Research Source Type: research