Does prior concussion lead to biomechanical alterations associated with lateral ankle sprain and anterior cruciate ligament injury? A systematic review and meta-analysis

Review written by Shruti Nambiar info

Key Points

  1. Individuals with a history of concussion displayed impairments in postural stability and locomotion-related performance, increasing their susceptibility to lateral ankle sprain injuries.
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BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE

Growing evidence suggests that athletes post clinical recovery and return to play after concussion face an increased risk of musculoskeletal injuries (1). This risk extends to the general population, exhibiting a 1.6 times higher likelihood of ACL injury post-concussion, particularly within the initial two years (2). Deficiencies in neuromuscular control and balance are linked to ACL and ankle injury risks respectively (3). Additionally, concussed individuals experience a decline in information processing speed (4). Lateral ankle sprain (LAS) and ACL injuries are commonly reported post-concussion during return to sport.

This study aimed to investigate biomechanical changes post-concussion, focusing on LAS and ACL injury associations, and to assess whether individuals with or without prior concussions demonstrated biomechanical changes associated with these injuries when cognitive tasks were introduced during motor activities.

Athletes post clinical recovery and return to play after concussion face an increased risk of musculoskeletal injuries.
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Clinicians should include simple tasks like analyzing walking and balance to detect specific impairments related to anterior cruciate ligament and lateral ankle sprain injuries.

METHODS

  • Five databases were searched using various key terms like concussion, biomechanical measurement, and study design, without publication date restrictions.
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