Objective: Sports-related concussions (SRCs) are commonly occurring injuries among athletic and recreationally active populations. SRCs can result in vestibular dysfunction that should resolve before returning to activity. It has been suggested that vestibular impairment is a factor that may influence recovery time. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of vestibular function on recovery following SRC. Design: Retrospective chart review. Setting: Multidisciplinary Concussion Clinic. Intervention: A total of 32 patient charts (21 males, 15.34 [1.47] y, 171.29 [8.44] cm, 68.37 [15.47] kg) from patients diagnosed with SRC presenting to a concussion clinic between August of 2016 and July 2017 with clinician-identified vestibular involvement were included. Main Outcome Measures: Scores on the Post-Concussion Symptom Scale, Dynamic Visual Acuity Test, Gaze Stabilization Test, Concussion Balance Test (COBALT), and other clinical data were used for analysis. Descriptive statistics were calculated for all variables. Pearson correlations were used to identify variables related to time to recovery. Variables were entered into a forward linear regression model. Results: Moderate to good relationships were identified between days to recovery and Dynamic Visual Acuity Test lines lost in the leftward direction (1.17 [0.52]; r = .39, P = .04), COBALT-condition 8 sway velocity (1.20 [0.18]; r = .44, P = .01), and days to successful completion of the COBALT (14.72 [8.35]; r = .63, P < .001). Patients’ predicted time to recover was equal to 14.61 (0.86) (days to successful COBALT). The model was significant (P < .001, R 2 = .30). Conclusion: The single predictor of time to recover was the number of days to successful completion of the COBALT. Thus, the ability to complete the task may be more informative than the performance on the task in predicting recovery time.
Search Results
You are looking at 1 - 2 of 2 items for
- Author: Shelly Massingale x
- Refine by Access: All Content x
Performance on the Concussion Balance Test Is Indicative of Time to Recovery in Athletes Following Sports-Related Concussion: An Exploratory Analysis
Carolina P. Quintana, Shelly Massingale, Nicholas R. Heebner, Jamie Pardini, Tamara C. Valovich-McLeod, Anne D. Olson, Arnold Stromberg, and Matthew C. Hoch
Assessing Balance in an Athletic Population: Normative Data for the Concussion Balance Test (COBALT©)
Shelly L. Massingale, Amy D. Alexander, Steven M. Erickson, Elizabeth S. McQueary, Richard D. Gerkin, Sarah B. Schodrof, Haroon M. Kisana, and Jamie E. Pardini
Dizziness and balance problems are commonly reported symptoms following sport-related concussion. The Concussion Balance Test (COBALT©), is an eight-condition test that assesses postural control with active vestibular stimulation using force plate technology. The purpose of this study was to establish normative data on COBALT for athletes ages 10–18. Data for postural sway velocity and error rates were acquired in 514 athletes presenting for preparticipation baseline screening. Six test conditions showed little variation in sway and error rate; however, two challenging conditions showed significant variation in sway among youth athletes.
