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Updated: Aug 19, 2025
A Neuroscientific Approach to the Examination of Concussions in Student-Athletes
Published on: December 8, 2014
Clinical gait characteristics in the early post-concussion phase: A systematic review
Joseph Reidy1, Ralph Mobbs2, Jake Kim3
1Department of Neurosurgery, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, NSW, Australia; University of New South Wales, Randwick, NSW, Australia.
Background:
Understanding gait alterations immediately post-concussion can improve identification, management and prognosis of concussion.
Objective:
To identify and define gait characteristics immediately post-concussion.
Method:
A review of electronic databases was conducted using terms gait alteration AND mTBI OR concussion. 172 reports were identified. After restricting to English and human studies, 158 remained. Reports were screened to include studies assessing quantifiable gait change post-concussion. 12 studies were included.
Discussion:
Multiple gait features are altered post-impact: stability, step length, walking speed and postural control. There is evidence that postural measures in gait initiation and termination may identify more subtle deficits. There is paucity of data evaluating the impact of concussion on gait function acutely and the authors identified no studies examining immediate changes.
Conclusion:
Acutely post-concussion, various gait alterations are seen and correlate with degree of deficit and prognosis. Slowed gait, instability and postural control are several features. Dynamic gait and postural assessments identify more subtle gait alterations. Given the absence in literature, high quality prospective studies examining immediate gait alterations post-concussion would contribute to improved assessment, management and prognostication. Given difficulty in participant recruitment, technological and standardised gait assessments should be used to assess force of impact and immediate gait alteration.
