Test–Retest Reliability and Responsiveness of Gaze Stability and Dynamic Visual Acuity in High School and College Football Players

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

8-2014

Publication Title

Physical Therapy in Sport

Volume

15

Issue

3

First page number:

181

Last page number:

188

Abstract

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to establish reliability and responsiveness of the dynamic visual acuity test (DVAT) at head speeds of 150–200 degrees per second (deg/s) and the gaze stabilization test (GST) in high school and college football players.

Design

Reliability design.

Participants

Fifty high school and college football athletes completed the DVAT and GST in both the yaw (horizontal) and pitch (vertical) planes twice within two weeks.

Results

Test–retest reliability for the DVAT was good in yaw, Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) = 0.770, and moderate/good in pitch, ICC = 0.725. Minimal detectable change (MDC) was 0.16 logMAR for yaw and 0.21 logMAR for pitch. GST reliability was moderate in yaw, ICC = 0.634, and poor in pitch, ICC = 0.411. MDCs were 73.4 deg/s (yaw) and 81.2 deg/s (pitch).

Conclusions

The DVAT is reliable at high head speeds in high school and college football athletes in both yaw and pitch. GST head speeds were higher than previously reported in the literature, but reliability of this tool for this population was poor to moderate. From a clinical perspective, DVAT may be reliably used in the assessment of high school and college football athletes; however, GST requires further evaluation.

Keywords

Concussion; Vestibulo-ocular reflex; Reliability; Responsiveness

Disciplines

Physical Therapy

Language

English

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