title: A multi-modal approach to assessing recovery in youth athletes following concussion.
abstract: Concussion is one of the most commonly reported injuries amongst children and youth involved in sport participation. Following a concussion, youth can experience a range of short and long term neurobehavioral symptoms (somatic, cognitive and emotional/behavioral) that can have a significant impact on one's participation in daily activities and pursuits of interest (e.g., school, sports, work, family/social life, etc.). Despite this, there remains a paucity in clinically driven research aimed specifically at exploring concussion within the youth sport population, and more specifically, multi-modal approaches to measuring recovery. This article provides an overview of a novel and multi-modal approach to measuring recovery amongst youth athletes following concussion. The presented approach involves the use of both pre-injury/baseline testing and post-injury/follow-up testing to assess performance across a wide variety of domains (post-concussion symptoms, cognition, balance, strength, agility/motor skills and resting state heart rate variability). The goal of this research is to gain a more objective and accurate understanding of recovery following concussion in youth athletes (ages 10-18 years). Findings from this research can help to inform the development and use of improved approaches to concussion management and rehabilitation specific to the youth sport community.
authors.affiliation: Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital; Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Toronto; Graduate Department of Rehabilitation Science, University of Toronto; NReed@hollandbloorview.ca.
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.affiliation: Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.affiliation: Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital.
authors.forename: Talia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dick
authors.affiliation: Graduate Department of Rehabilitation Science, University of Toronto.
authors.forename: Katie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mah
authors.affiliation: Graduate Department of Rehabilitation Science, University of Toronto.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Paniccia
authors.affiliation: Graduate Department of Rehabilitation Science, University of Toronto.
authors.forename: Lee
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Verweel
authors.affiliation: Graduate Department of Rehabilitation Science, University of Toronto.
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dobney
authors.affiliation: Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital; Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Toronto; Graduate Department of Rehabilitation Science, University of Toronto.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Keightley
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D056352:Athletes; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D001924:Brain Concussion / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002648:Child; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans