title: Previous mild traumatic brain injury and postural-control dynamics.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Postural control and cognitive function are adversely affected by acute mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Whether postural-control deficits persist beyond the acute stage in individuals with a history of mTBI is unclear.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine if postural-control deficits persist in individuals with a history of mTBI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University research laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  As part of an ongoing investigation examining cognitive and motor deficits associated with mTBI, 224 individuals participated in the study. Of these, 62 participants self-reported at least 1 previous physician-diagnosed mTBI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Postural control was assessed using the NeuroCom Sensory Organization Test (SOT) postural-assessment battery.
  
  
  METHODS
  The SOT postural assessment yields 4 indices of postural control: a composite balance score, a visual ratio score, a somatosensory score, and a vestibular score. Postural dynamics were also examined by calculating approximate entropy of center-of-pressure excursions in the anteroposterior and mediolateral axis for each test condition.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Minimal differences in the SOT indices were noted among individuals with and without a history of previous mTBI (P > .05). In the group with a history of mTBI, anteroposterior postural irregularity decreased as postural difficulty increased. In contrast, the group without a history of mTBI displayed increased postural irregularity in the mediolateral direction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Individuals with a history of mTBI exhibited altered postural dynamics compared with individuals without a history of mTBI. These findings support the notion that changes in cerebral functioning that affect postural control may persist long after acute injury resolution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 906 South Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, USA. jsosnoff@illinois.edu
authors.forename: Jacob J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Sosnoff
authors.forename: Steven P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Broglio
authors.forename: Sunghoon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Ferrara
mesh_terms: D001924:Brain Concussion; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D038223:Post-Concussion Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D011187:Posture; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013995:Time; D055815:Young Adult