Gaze Behavior and Walking in Individuals with a Concussion

Concussions are a significant concern among athletes, with an estimated 3 million athletes being diagnosed with a concussion every year. Along with the cognitive difficulties commonly associated with a concussion, many individuals have problems walking. Importantly, problems with walking often remain for weeks or months after the concussion has been clinically deemed to be resolved and the athlete has returned to play. The persistence of gait deficits my contribute to the increased risk of subsequent injury, with individuals post-concussion being 3 times more likely to suffer a lower extremity musculoskeletal injury. Despite the commonality and significance of these impairments, how and why a concussion leads to problems with walking is poorly understood. One possibility is that individuals with a concussion do not have access to the same amount and type of visual information as healthy individuals. Studying where an individual looks has provided valuable insights into the motor control strategies of other clinical populations. Therefore, the present protocol aims to: 1. Define what visual information is available to individuals with a concussion and 2. To quantify how much individuals with a concussion rely on different types of visual information. Collectively this study will significantly improve our understanding of the motor control strategies utilized by individuals with a concussion, providing possible insights into why gait deficits persist for so long following a concussion and informing future diagnostic and rehabilitation approaches.