title: Outcomes, utility, and feasibility of single task and dual task intervention programs: preliminary implications for post-concussion rehabilitation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine neurocognitive and balance performance in recreational athletes, prior to and following a dual-task training intervention compared to single-task controls in order to assess the utility and feasibility of these interventions in the clinical setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Controlled laboratory study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty healthy, physically active recreational athletes (dual-task group = 15; single-task group = 15; age: 20.3 ± 1.9 years) completed neurocognitive and balance assessments before and after a four-week intervention. Sensory Organization Test composite score and ratio scores, Balance Error Scoring System total score, and nine CNS Vital Signs composite scores served as outcome measures. Mixed model analyses of variance were used to examine each measure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The single-task group showed greater improvement for complex attention (F1,26 = 5.48, p = .027) following the training period. Both groups improved their performance on the complex attention domain (F1,26 = 6.73, p = .015), the Balance Error Scoring System score (F1,26 = 42.34, p < .001), and the Sensory Organization Test vestibular ratio score (F1,28 = 6.55, p = .016) following the intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest combining cognitive and balance tasks as performed does not provide additional benefit to performing these tasks independently among healthy individuals, but appear to be feasible in this setting. Future research should examine integration of single-task and dual-task exercises for concussed patients.
authors.affiliation: Matthew Gfeller Sport-Related Traumatic Brain Injury Research Center, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States.
authors.forename: Joseph M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ingriselli
authors.affiliation: Matthew Gfeller Sport-Related Traumatic Brain Injury Research Center, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Clinical Research Unit, Emergency Services Institute, WakeMed Health and Hospitals, Raleigh, NC, United States. Electronic address: jmihalik@wakemed.org.
authors.forename: Johna K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Register-Mihalik
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.
authors.forename: Julianne D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.affiliation: Matthew Gfeller Sport-Related Traumatic Brain Injury Research Center, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Curriculum in Human Movement Science, Department of Allied Health Sciences, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States.
authors.forename: Jason P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Mihalik
authors.affiliation: Sports Medicine Research Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology and Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, United States.
authors.forename: Benjamin M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Goerger
authors.affiliation: Matthew Gfeller Sport-Related Traumatic Brain Injury Research Center, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Curriculum in Human Movement Science, Department of Allied Health Sciences, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States.
authors.forename: Kevin M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Guskiewicz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001924:Brain Concussion / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003071:Cognition; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D004856:Postural Balance; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Brain injury; Paradigm; Postconcussion syndrome; Recovery