Citation

Howell DR, Osternig LR, Chou LS. Arch. Phys. Med. Rehabil. 2013; 94(8): 1513-1520.

Affiliation

University of Oregon, Department of Human Physiology, 122 Esslinger Hall, 1240 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.apmr.2013.04.015

PMID

23643687

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To prospectively and longitudinally examine how concussion affects gait balance control in adolescents during single and dual-task walking. DESIGN: Cohort, prospective, repeated-measures design. SETTING: Motion analysis laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty adolescents identified as suffering a concussion were matched with twenty healthy control subjects and tested five times across a two month period following injury. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Gait temporal-distance parameters included average walking speed, step length, step width; whole body center of mass (COM) parameters included medial/lateral displacement, and peak COM medial/lateral and anterior velocities; dual-task cost was defined as percent change from single to dual-task conditions; and Stroop test accuracy. RESULTS: No between-group differences were observed for step length and step width. The dual-task cost for average walking speed for concussed subjects was greater than control subjects across the two month testing period (main effect of group p = .019), as were the dual-task costs for peak anterior COM velocity (main effect of group p = .017) and total COM medial/lateral displacement (main effect of group p = .013). The total COM medial/lateral displacement (group x task interaction p = .006) and peak COM medial/lateral velocity (main effect of group p = .027; main effect of task p = .010) were significantly greater in concussed subjects compared with control subjects during dual-task walking. Concussed subjects were significantly less accurate than controls on the Stroop test (main effect of group p = .004). CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that concussion affects the ability of adolescents to control body posture during gait up to two months following injury. Furthermore, dual-task paradigms may provide additional useful information in the clinical assessment and recovery of concussion.

Language: en