Acute and Longitudinal Effects of Concussion on Reactive Balance in Collegiate Athletes

Background Postural instability is a common observation after concussions, with balance assessments playing a crucial role in clinical evaluations. Widely used post-concussion balance tests focus primarily on static and dynamic balance, excluding the critical aspect of reactive balance.Objectives This study investigated the acute and longitudinal effects of concussion on reactive balance in collegiate athletes.Methods Concussed and healthy matched controls NCAA division I athletes were assessed at pre-season baseline and 4 post-concussion timepoints: acute, pre-return-to-play (RTP), post-RTP, and 6 months post-concussion. The instrumented-modified Push and Release test measured reactive balance during single- and dual-task conditions. Longitudinal effects of concussions on time to stability and step latency metrics were investigated applying Generalized Estimating Equations.Results Acutely after concussion, athletes demonstrated impaired reactive balance, indicated by longer times to stability, in dual-task conditions (P = .004). These acute impairments were transient and recovered over time. Exploratory analyses revealed that athletes who sustained their first lifetime concussion exhibited both acute (P = .037) and longitudinal (P = .004 at post-RTP) impairments in single- and dual-task compared to controls with no lifetime concussion.Conclusions This comprehensive evaluation provides insights into the multifaceted nature of post-concussion impairments and emphasizes the importance of considering cognitive demand and history of concussions in assessing athletes' balance.