Post-Traumatic Craniocervical Disorders From a Postural Control Perspective: A Narrative Review.

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Biomechanics
• Ophthalmology

Background:

• Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and whiplash injury (WI) can lead to chronic conditions like post-concussive syndrome (PCS) and whiplash-associated disorders (WADs).
• PCS and WAD patients often report symptoms including dizziness, vertigo, headache, neck pain, visual disturbances, anxiety, and cognitive deficits.
• While initial medical evaluations are crucial, they may not fully explain persistent symptoms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the potential link between damage to head and neck sensorimotor systems and PCS/WAD symptoms.
• To highlight the need for a comprehensive assessment of interconnected systems involved in postural control after mTBI and WI.
• To advocate for further research into the assessment and treatment of these systems.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on mTBI, WI, PCS, WAD, and postural control systems.
• Analysis of the roles of ocular sensorimotor, vestibular, and cervical proprioceptive systems in head and neck injuries.
• Consideration of the stomatognathic system's involvement, particularly in WI.

Main Results:

• Dysfunctions in the ocular sensorimotor, vestibular, and cervical proprioceptive systems, located in head and neck structures, may result from mTBI or WI.
• These system dysfunctions are associated with a broad spectrum of functional disorders, mirroring PCS and WAD symptoms.
• The stomatognathic system warrants specific assessment, especially in cases of WI.

Conclusions:

• Impairment of sensorimotor systems in the head and neck following mTBI and WI is a promising area for understanding and treating PCS and WAD.
• A comprehensive, interconnected approach to assessing and treating these systems is currently under-researched.
• Further investigation into the consequences of mTBI and WI on postural control systems is essential for developing novel therapeutic strategies.