Self-reported balance status is not a reliable indicator of balance performance in adolescents at one-month post-concussion.
OBJECTIVES
To determine if self-reported balance symptoms can be used as a proxy for measures of the center of pressure (COP) to identify balance deficits in a group of concussed adolescents.


DESIGN
Case-control.


METHODS
Thirteen adolescents 1-month post-concussion who reported ongoing balance problems (Balance+), 20 adolescent 1-month post-concussion who reported no balance problems (Balance-), and 30 non-injured adolescents (control) completed a series of balance tests. Participants completed two 2-min trials standing on a Nintendo Wii Balance Board™ during which the COP under their feet was recorded: i) double-leg stance, eyes open; ii) double-leg stance, eyes closed. Participants also completed a dual-task condition combining a double-leg stance and a Stroop Colour-word test.


RESULTS
Participants in both the Balance+ and Balance- group swayed over a larger ellipse area compared to the control group while completing the Eyes Closed (Balance+, p=0.002; Balance-, p=0.002) and Dual-Task (Balance+, p=0.001; Balance-, p=0.004) conditions and performed the Dual-Task condition with faster medio-lateral velocity (Balance+, p=0.003; Balance-, p=0.009). The participants in the Balance- group also swayed over a larger ellipse area compared to the control group while completing the Eyes Open condition (p=0.005). No significant differences were identified between the Balance+ and Balance- groups.


CONCLUSIONS
At 1-month post-concussion, adolescents demonstrated balance deficits compared to non-injured adolescents regardless of whether they reported balance problems. These results suggest that self-reported balance status might not be an accurate reflection of balance performance following a concussion in adolescents.
['Rochefort|Coralie|C|', 'Walters-Stewart|Coren|C|', 'Aglipay|Mary|M|', 'Barrowman|Nick|N|', 'Zemek|Roger|R|', 'Sveistrup|Heidi|H|']
D000293:Adolescent D000704:Analysis of Variance D001924:Brain Concussion D016022:Case-Control Studies D002648:Child D003943:Diagnostic Techniques, Neurological D005260:Female D006801:Humans D008297:Male D004856:Postural Balance D057566:Self Report D012678:Sensation Disorders D012720:Severity of Illness Index D013997:Time Factors
Adolescent Brain injury Cognitive function Injury management Postural balance