Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6474-316X

Date Available

8-2-2023

Year of Publication

2022

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Document Type

Master's Thesis

College

Education

Department/School/Program

Kinesiology and Health Promotion

First Advisor

Dr. Michael Samaan

Abstract

Concussion (also known as mild traumatic brain injury) is a neurological injury that occurs after a blow to the head or neck area and can have affects to movement based on the severity of the injury. Mild traumatic brain injury has possible linkage to an increased risk of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. The purpose of this thesis was to assess the impact of prior concussion on lower extremity mechanics that are associated with risk of ACL injury. A total of 11 individuals with prior history of concussion and 11 healthy individuals without prior history of concussion (56.5 months since prior concussion) were recruited and tested in this study. Each study participant underwent a three-dimensional gait analysis while performing a single leg jump landing on the dominant and non-dominant limbs. Overall, there were no between group differences in lower extremity mechanics in the dominant and non- dominant limbs of the participants with prior history of concussion and the healthy individuals. Within the concussion group, the non-dominant limb exhibited a higher peak knee abduction angle and lower peak knee abduction moment compared to the dominant limb and suggests a biomechanical pattern that may help to offload the ACL during this landing task. The findings add to the growing amount of research that individual with prior concussion could are at a higher risk of ACL injury. Further research should be performed to assess the more acute phase of concussion (3 months to 2 years) on risk of ACL injury.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2022.274

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