Background/Purpose: Neurocognitive performance may influence lower extremity injury risk by affecting neuromuscular performance. We hypothesize that athletes with low neurocognitive performance will have significantly larger trunk angular displacements during a trunk stability task compared to athletes with high neurocognitive performance.
Methods: 108 recreationally active athletes were screened using the Concussion Resolution Index (CRI). Subjects above 80th percentile in one score and with two scores no lower than 60th percentile were included in the higher performers (HP) group (9 M, 10 F). Subjects with one subtest score below the 40th percentile and with two scores no higher than the 70th percentile, or with at least two scores below the 30th percentile were included in the low performers (LP) group (8 M, 10 F). These subjects completed a trunk stability task measuring trunk angular displacement in flexion, lateral bending, and extension as per Zazulak et. al. (AJSM 2007). Comparisons were made using an independent-samples t-test with alpha set at p=0.05.
Analysis/Results: The LP group demonstrated significantly lower CRI scores in all domains compared to the HP group (P<0.001). The LP group demonstrated significantly greater trunk angular displacements in flexion (9.2+/-4.0o vs 4.5+/-2.0o p<0.001), lateral bending (6.1+/-2.5o vs 3.3+/-1.5o p<0.001), and extension (7.1+/-2.5o vs 3.5+/-1.7o p<0.001).
Conclusions: Poor neurocognitive performance may increase the risk of lower extremity athletic injuries through poor neuromuscular performance. These findings may have implications regarding the use of neurocognitive screening tests for injury risk stratification at baseline and after concussion injuries.