Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 28, 2025
Gaze in Action: Head-mounted Eye Tracking of Children's Dynamic Visual Attention During Naturalistic Behavior
Published on: November 14, 2018
Gaze stability in youth athletes: A normative observational study
Amy Alexander1, Nicholas Hattrup2, Richard Gerkin3
1Banner University Medical Center Sports Medicine and Concussion Program, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
Background:
The Gaze Stabilization Test (GST) assesses vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) function by determining the maximum head velocity at which an individual can accurately perceive a fixed-size visual target. There is limited information about gaze stability performance in youth athletes.
Objective:
The purpose of this study is to describe baseline performance of athletes ages 17 years and under on a computerized GST and explore the influence of demographic characteristics on performance.
Methods:
Baseline GST and demographic data were acquired via retrospective chart review.
Results:
The sample included 106 athletes aged 8 to 17 years (mean 13.9 years±1.79; 78% male). The median values for baseline GST function were 180 (IQR: 150-210) degrees per second (d/sec) in the leftward direction, and 190 d/sec (IQR: 160-220) in the rightward direction. There were no significant effects of sex/gender or concussion history on GST performance.
Conclusions:
The GST is one of many tools available for clinicians to use in a multi-modal approach to concussion management. Understanding how healthy young athletes perform can assist clinicians in determining vestibular impairment, formulating the exercise prescription, and estimating physiologic recovery.
