Paul Caliman Participation 3rd Year by

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The project aimed to investigate balance performance in adults with a history of concussion.

Tests included single - task and dual - task on a gateway treadmill.

It aimed to identify postural control and dynamic balance in individuals with a history of concussion.

Overview

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Participants completed a familiarisation trial, single task test and a dual task test on the gateway treadmill with random perturbations.

Research team recorded the balance responses and cognitive performance

Participants

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23 participants ages 18 - 40 were recruited from university.

Participants included individuals with and without history of concussion

Participants filled out a questionnaire before testing with questions regarding concussion history, age etc.

Data Collection

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Data collected included:

centre of pressure displacement.
number of small steps, large steps and large steps.
number of mistakes counting backwards in dual task.

Software and Tools

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SPSS programme was used for data analysis.

Gateway treadmill was programmed for randomised perturbations.

Key Findings

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Individuals with a history of concussion showed greater instability in comparison to the control group(non-concussed).

There was significant differences in the results between single task and dual task

Implications

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These results support earlier research demonstrating ongoing differences after a concussion (Dorman et al., 2021)( Powers et al, 2014) and imply that cognitive load has a negative impact on balance in concussed individuals. This emphasises how important dynamic evaluations are to concussion recovery.

Reflection

22530962 — 2025-05-04 16:31:59 UTC

I found it interesting how balance was much harder to control during the dual task test.

This showed how after a concussion, movement and cognition are close connected.

Limitations

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Sample size was too small. 23 participants with 8 concussed and 15 non-concussed

We relied on individuals to self report concussion history which could introduce bias.
Further research is required with larger sample size and verifications of concussion history.

Future Goals

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These skills will help me achieve my aim of pursuing a Master's in Physiotherapy, where I will have to apply research findings to practice, critically evaluate patient data, and interact with patients and colleagues.

Skill - Communication

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By discussing results with my supervisor, considering feedback, and refining my academic writing and findings presentation, I improved my communication skills.

Skill - Problem Solving

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I improved my problem-solving skills by overcoming obstacles in the data gathering and analysis process, adjusting to unforeseen problems such as participant availability.

Data Analysis

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I became more proficient in SPSS data analysis with this project, learning how to summarise statistical findings and interpret ANOVA results.

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Challenge: Low participant recruitment

Solution: Participants were recruited on campus through in person invitations.

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Challenge: Outputs from SPPS were difficult to understand.

Solution: Meeting with supervisor was scheduled to clarify Anova reporting and APA formatting.

Questions

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How do I report ANOVA results in APA style?
How many references are expected for the dissertation?
Do I need to include raw SPSS tables or summarise results?

Checklist

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Participant information sheet
Informed consent form
Data storage and confidentiality plan
Ethics Approval Application Form

Week 1

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Focussed on understanding aims and literature.
Booked first meeting with supervisor.

Week 2

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Began recruiting by approaching students on campus
Completed ethics checklist and submitted documents.

Week 3

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Booked lab session to practice using gateway treadmill.
Familiarised with tests to be conducted.

Week 4

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Conducted familiarisation and balance tests with participants.
Took notes of results.

Week 5

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Scheduled meeting with supervisor to help understanding SPSS outputs.
Entered raw data into SPSS for preliminary analysis

Week 6

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I began to see how crucial it is to maintain organisation when gathering data, particularly when balancing several metrics (steps, cognitive errors, sway). I discovered that after every participant, records should be double-checked.
Data analysis felt overwhelming at first, but it became easier when broken down into manageable tasks. Reading SPSS outcomes gave me more self-assurance, and I was pleased to recognise important findings.

Reflection

22530962 — 2025-05-04 18:22:13 UTC

I'm happy to have finished the project from beginning to end. I improved my critical thinking, problem-solving, and research data interpretation skills, all of which will help me when I work in clinical or athletic environments and pursue a master's degree in physiotherapy.

22530962 — 2025-05-04 18:33:41 UTC

This project taught me to be resilient and adaptable. I gained experience in handling obstacles such as difficult participant recruitment and interpreting intricate SPSS results. I gained confidence in my ability to communicate scientific findings and increased my independence in problem-solving. These abilities will help me in my professional practice and postgraduate studies.