Dr. Robert Catena's
Gait and Posture Biomechanics Lab
Motor performance following a concussion
Dr. Catena’s first research line in his graduate studies directly addressed motor performance (typically balance control) deficits that individuals with concussion display. Prior to our research, clinicians placed more significance on cognitive deficits in diagnosis and treatment. These publications showed that there are significant motor performance deficits following a concussion and these deficits typically result from certain cognitive impairments. This body of work was significant toward our understanding of how cognitive impairments can increase the risk to subsequent concussions by altering motor skills.
- Catena RD, van Donkelaar P, Chou LS. Cognitive task effects on gait stability following concussion. Exp Brain Res. 2007 Jan;176(1):23-31. PubMed PMID: 16826411.
- Catena RD, van Donkelaar P, Chou LS. Altered balance control following concussion is better detected with an attention test during gait. Gait Posture. 2007 Mar;25(3):406-11. PubMed PMID: 16787746.
- Catena RD, van Donkelaar P, Halterman CI, Chou LS. Spatial orientation of attention and obstacle avoidance following concussion. Exp Brain Res. 2009 Mar;194(1):67-77. PubMed PMID: 19082819.
- Catena RD, van Donkelaar P, Chou LS. Different gait tasks distinguish immediate vs long-term effects of concussion on balance control. J Neuroeng Rehabil. 2009 Jul 7;6:25. PubMed PMID: 19580680; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2713249.
- Catena RD, van Donkelaar P, Chou LS. The effects of attention capacity on dynamic balance control following concussion. J Neuroeng Rehabil. 2011 Feb 3;8:8. PubMed PMID: 21291548; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3038907.
- Catena RD, Hildenbrand KJ. (2016). Concussion Assessment during Gait. Handbook of Human Motion. Continuously Updated Ed. Springer International Publishing. pp 1-18. Online ISBN: 978-3-319-30808-1. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-30808-1_69-1.
- Butler F, Howell D, Ardern C, Doherty C, Blake C, Ryan J, Catena RD, Chou LS, Fino P, Rochefort C, Sveistrup H, Parker T, Delahunt E. (2020). Concussed athletes walk slower than control participants during cognitive-motor dual-task assessments but not during single-task assessments 2 months after sports concussion; a systematic review and meta-analysis using individual participant data. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 54(2):94-101.
Phone: (509) 335-4250 Email: robert.catena@wsu.edu Location: Smith Gym 19 and 21, Pullman WA 99164-1410