Return to activity after concussion affects dual-task gait balance control recovery

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Sports Medicine
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• Adolescent concussion can cause persistent deficits in dual-task gait balance control for up to two months.
• The impact of resuming pre-injury physical activities on concussion recovery remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how return to activity (RTA) influences concussion recovery.
• To assess the effects of RTA on symptom severity, cognition, and balance during single- and dual-task walking.

Main Methods:

• Nineteen adolescents with concussion and 19 controls underwent symptom inventories, cognitive tests, and gait analyses.
• Assessments occurred at multiple time points post-injury, including before and after RTA.
• Data were analyzed using two-way mixed effects ANOVAs.

Main Results:

• Concussion participants showed increased center-of-mass medial/lateral displacement and velocity during dual-task walking post-RTA.
• No significant changes were observed in single-task walking, forward movement, or cognition.
• No significant differences were detected between concussion and control groups in these measures post-RTA.

Conclusions:

• Resuming physical activity after concussion may lead to a regression in gait balance control during dual-task walking.
• A comprehensive approach to concussion management, including ongoing monitoring, is recommended.
• Clinical recovery assessment should extend beyond the typical recovery timeline.