Matthew P. Brancaleone, PhD, PT, DPT, AT
The Ohio State University

There are over 71,000 college students in the United States who are deaf and hard-of-hearing (D/HoH), with many participating in athletics.
Athletes who are D/HoH have similar concussion rates to athletes who are hearing at the collegiate level.
Although the most recent consensus statement on concussion in sport recommended different management of concussions in special populations, such as those who are D/HoH, there are critical knowledge gaps regarding concussion baseline performance, concussion recognition and diagnosis, and concussion recovery in athletes who are D/HoH.
Concussion baseline testing often includes neurocognitive, behavioral, and physical assessments.
Common Baseline Symptoms in Athletes who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing:

• Dizziness
• Tinnitus
• Balance problems
• Anxiety/depression
• Athletes who are Hearing Common Baseline Symptoms
• Fatigue/low energy
• Trouble falling asleep
• Difficulty concentrating

Normative data are well-established in collegiate athletes who are hearing, but not in collegiate athletes who are D/HoH.
Differences in baseline performance between athletes who are D/HoH and athletes who are hearing may negatively impact concussion management and return-to-play (RTP) decisions of athletes who are D/HoH.
The D/HoH population may bring a unique challenge to healthcare providers in concussion management, particularly in regards to possible vestibular dysfunction due to the proximity of the vestibular apparatus, cochlea, and neurovascular supply.
The vestibular system plays a critical role in postural control and oculomotor function, which are often impacted by concussion.
The objective of this presentation is to explore the differences in baseline concussion assessment performance between athletes who are D/HoH and collegiate athletes who are hearing.

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