Vestibulo-ocular dysfunction in adolescent rugby union players with and without a history of concussion

Sport-related concussions are common in adolescent contact sports. Vestibulo-ocular dysfunction has been reported in athletes post-concussion. There is a lack of research on vestibulo-ocular function in sporting adolescents, and the influence of previous concussions on the vestibular system in this population. The aim of this study was to investigate vestibulo-ocular function in a cohort of adolescent rugby players with and without a history of concussion during pre-season assessment.

Cross-sectional cohort.

213 male adolescent (13-18 years old) rugby players were recruited from six schools in Queensland, Australia. Vestibulo-ocular assessments were conducted during the preseason and included clinical assessment of oculomotor function and the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) using the clinical and video-Head Impulse Test (HIT). Players were allocated into two groups: no history of concussion in the last 12 months (n = 165); and concussion in the last 12 months (n = 48).

There were no between group differences in vestibulo-ocular function for players with and without a history of concussion (p = 0.65). However, vestibulo-ocular dysfunction was reported in 69 (32.7%) of the players tested, who had either abnormal oculomotor control or VOR function.

The high prevalence of vestibulo-ocular dysfunction in adolescent rugby players suggests that positive clinical findings post-concussion need to be interpreted carefully in the absence of baseline or pre-concussion assessments.