Descriptive Analysis of Preseason Baseline Data Collected from University Varsity Student-Athletes Using a Comprehensive Assessment Battery

The objectives of this study were to conduct a descriptive analysis of preseason baseline data collected from university varsity student-athletes using a comprehensive battery of assessments and to examine the effects of sex, concussion history and their interaction on variables. 325 student-athletes (165 males; 160 females) completed one or more of the following assessments: Sport Concussion Assessment Tool-5 (SCAT5); force plate postural sway; Doppler ultrasound cerebral blood flow; Brain Dynamic IndicatorTM (BrDITM); HurtSHynesTM Test; oculomotor performance; Stroop Colour and Word Test. 140 student-athletes reported a history of concussion (RHOC) and 185 student-athletes had No RHOC. Significant effects of sex were observed for multiple variables within five assessments. A significant effect of concussion history was rarely observed. Significant interaction effects were found for variables in the BrDITM and HurtSHynesTM Test. Considerable ceiling effects in scoring were observed across all student-athletes for the SCAT5 five-word immediate memory test. Overall, this study expands our understanding of the variability of results for varsity student-athletes across a variety of baseline assessments. Furthermore, the results support the need to develop sex-specific models of recovery following sports-related concussion.